Insider's view / Murtha may also be speaking for the military

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05328/611712.stm

One point not to forget in the exchange of volleys between veteran U.S. Rep. John P. Murtha and President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and other administration officials on the need to withdraw American forces from Iraq is the congressman's extraordinarily close relationship over the years with senior U.S. military personnel.

<snip>

There is thus considerable incentive for senior uniformed officials to make their views known indirectly, for example, through Congress, when their opinions vary from those of administration officials, starting with President Bush and Vice President Cheney.

In that context, it is very likely that the advocacy of withdrawal by Mr. Murtha, the congressman who is perhaps closest of all to senior military officers, reflects the considered views of some or many of those in the service's top ranks. Rather than taking themselves out of the game by opposing Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney, they may be telling the American public through Mr. Murtha, whom they trust, that it is time for U.S. forces to go home, to leave Iraq to the Iraqis.

[TaleWgnDg]

1. Hmmmmm, an editorial of worthy note. Indeed. . . . n/t

[Erika]

2. Yep. Murtha is a military man

vs the oil execs who now run our government.

[leftstreet]

3. Anyone who watched Murtha's presser had to know this wasn't political.

Maybe it is for other Dem leaders, but Murtha was obviously in earnest.

[madrchsod]

4. i figured that out as soon as i heard him speak.

from day one i figured that there were people inside the pentagon had no use for bush,cheney,and their war. there are military people that now understand what the german generals went thru when they realized the army and the nation was being destroyed by a madman. murtha would not have said what he did unless the people he has dealt gave him the go ahead to say what he did. what struck me is the statement of leaving 50(?) billion worth of equipment behind which would be our entire field army and national guard equipment. how are we going to pay for the rebuilding?

[applegrove]

5. Absolutely. Murtha is a soldier. And like Powell - he would stick with

his men & women no matter what the WH was doing. He said in his speech he had talked and talked and thought it over. No doubt the military itself knows they don't have the might to take iraq and all its regions so they have to dial it down to insurgents vs. civilians.

No doubt.

It seems the WH was not listening to the millitary in the last months. Just like in the run up to war.

Did Rummy ever listen to the military? Ever?

[bemildred]

6. "If it is unseemly for Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney, with their own

undistinguished or absent war records, to hammer at Mr. Murtha, a Vietnam veteran with a distinguished record and the trust of American soldiers and veterans, it is especially wrong for them to undercut him when he is likely delivering to them and the public the frank opinion of the war of senior American officers."

Yeah.