Murtha: Primaries may stall Iraq action

AP ^ | 09/17/07 | KIMBERLY HEFLING

[Artemis Webb]

WASHINGTON - Rep. John Murtha predicted Monday that Democrats will not be able to pass any meaningful legislation to end the Iraq war until presidential primary elections are over next year.

Murtha, a Vietnam veteran and war critic who chairs the appropriations subcommittee overseeing defense spending, conceded that not as many Republicans had broken with President Bush as many Democrats had predicted.

"As soon as the primaries are over, you're going to see Republicans jumping ship," Murtha, D-Pa., said in a speech at the National Press Club.

He said it will be difficult to get the 60 votes needed in the Senate to pass a withdrawal measure through Congress. Primaries are scheduled into next June.

"I see what happens to a Republican when they say we ought to start to get out," Murtha said. "They bash them. I mean they attack them viscerally and of course they're the ones that nominate them. Until that plays out we're going to have a problem."

After the speech, Murtha said he's been told privately by some Republicans who publicly support the war that they are opposed to it.

[Artemis Webb]

"After the speech, Murtha said he's been told privately by some Republicans who publicly support the war that they are opposed to it.

Gee John...if you weren't such a lying, corrupt, traitor I might believe you.

[Artemis Webb]

Then again testosterone is in short supply on the GOP side so maybe he’s right.

[mass55th]

So what he’s saying is that the Dems are too caught up in political campaigns to do any real work in Congress.

[goldstategop]

John Murtha has admitted defeat. He hopes Republicans will jump ship next year... but its a faint hope. So the Democrats are between Iraq and and a hard place. The hardest news they have to deliver is to their moonbat constituency: they can't force President Bush to surrender on their terms.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[rhombus]

"As soon as the primaries are over, you're going to see Republicans jumping ship," Murtha, D-Pa., said in a speech at the National Press Club.

This just doesn't make sense. Does he think Ron Paul is going to get the nomination? From Thompson, to Romney to Rudy... they all support listening to the Generals and not the Democrats. This is just pure BS to stall the moonbats.

[maine-iac7]

translation on Murtha - “We dimWits blew it big time with Petraeus - we lost ground big time and can’t hope to push our agenda through at this time = we’ll have to wait until after the primaries next year and then start demanding to bring some troops back home - the same ones that they already say is scheduled to come home - and maybe people will believe it’s because WE demanded it. yep, maybe that’ll work

[Cicero]

"As soon as the primaries are over, you're going to see Republicans jumping ship," Murtha, D-Pa., said in a speech at the National Press Club.

Murtha himself is an expert at jumping ship, but he doesn't seem to realize that not everyone is like him, a corrupt opportunist who betrays the military while milking defense contracts for all they are worth.

[BigBobber]

Johnny Boy. How ‘bout this plan: When your people take over the White House, you can direct the military and be accountable for your successes and failures.

Until then, it’s your responsibility to fund the war authorized by congress. Now get out of the way and STFU.

[coffee260]

 While ranting and raving about how the Iraq war has destroyed America's prestige and how Russia and China are laughing at us, Murtha blamed America for Pearl Harbor. He said our energy consumption was going to provoke a confrontation with other countries and that Japan attacked us because we stopped selling them oil. The context is crucial at this point.

 

Taken as a stand alone statement, that Japan attacked us when we stopped selling them oil isn't very contraversial. But remember, Murtha was ranting and raving about how America is in effect provoking other countries, I assume he meant Russia and China, into escalating a confrontation with the US.

 

Also when someone in the audience, an unidentified questioner, asked Murtha if he was going to apologize to the Marines whom he accused of killing women and children in cold blood in a town in Iraq called Haditha. Murtha's answer was telling and quite unusual.

 

He replied to the questioner with a stern, "the trial's not over yet." Pressed on the fact that he accused the Marines in Haditha of being murderers Murtha simply responded again, "the trial's not over yet." I got the feeling from Murtha's response that he was hopeful and possibly anxious for American Marines to be found guilty or even charged with murder. I could be wrong but he has an investment in them being charged and convicted.  

[penowa]

A pity the Bush Justice Dep’t has only been interested in nailing Republicans. If we had a REAL Justice Dep’t, this guy would have been a prime candidate for sharing a cell at the graybar hotel with Cunningham as he’s been a crook since the day he got elected to congress, but maybe he would prefer one of his buddies like Mollahan or Jefferson for a cellmate.

[ulm1]

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