Murtha says he should have spoken out sooner, warns of investigations

[Rose Siding]

For a year the Pennsylvania Democrat and Vietnam veteran agonized over his doubts about the Iraq war before deciding to break with the Bush administration and call for withdrawing U.S. troops.

"I probably did not speak out soon enough," Murtha told The Associated Press in a recent interview. "I should have, but I was always so used to doing things behind the scenes and getting something done, getting a reaction from the executive branch."
...
"If Democrats win a majority in the House in November, which Murtha predicts will happen, the Republican administration should be prepared to answer tough questions about the war, he said.

"It will be a stunning thing to them, and then the investigations will start," Murtha said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/20/AR2006052000463_pf.html

[eleny]

1. Regardless of his waiting, he deserves a chairmanship

[1620rock]

2. When he spoke out it went against everything that had been...

...drilled into him for most of his life as a serviceman. It took courage to do so, and for that he is a true American and patriot. :patriot:

[seafan]

3. Representative John Murtha is one of our finest Americans.

Murtha's style changed with the times




May 20, 2006

As the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, Murtha was often called on by presidents seeking his service or advice. President Reagan had Murtha co-chair a 1986 delegation sent to help monitor elections in the Philippines, and Murtha was a go-to guy on Capitol Hill when President George H.W. Bush was cultivating congressional support for the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

Murtha recalled returning from a trip to Beirut and telling Reagan that more troops were needed in Lebanon. He said the president did not take his advice, which was offered before the 1983 barracks bombing that killed 241 U.S troops, but did acknowledge later that Murtha had been right.
"At that time I didn't even talk publicly about what I said privately because I felt like I'd given my advice, even though they didn't take it, they changed course very quickly after the incident," Murtha said.

By contrast, Murtha said, President Bush has been unwilling to admit to mistakes in Iraq. Murtha said he was invited to early war planning meetings with Pentagon officials, and when he said he thought they were too optimistic about how the Iraqi people would respond to the U.S.-led invasion, "They quit inviting me to meetings."

He said he agonized over his doubts about the war for a year before deciding to go public.
When he did, the White House issued a statement comparing him to liberal filmmaker Michael Moore, although President Bush subsequently called Murtha "a fine man and a good man."
"I don't get too many calls from the White House any more," Murtha said. When asked about how much communication there is between him and Bush's White House, Murtha formed a zero with his fingers.

snip

"When I go by the cemetery at Arlington, it doesn't say Democrat or Republican on there," Murtha said. "It just says American."

snip

[cliss]

4. Great post, as always.

Thanks, Seafan.

[seafan]

7. Thank you, cliss. This man is a true American.

BushCo's arrogant dismissal of experts such as Murtha is the mark of amateurs, charlatans and the morally and spiritually bankrupt.

[mrdmk]

9. Why Mr. Bush Jr. not admitting to the mistake of going to war in Iraq?

Because it was not his plan to do so in the first place. I dislike having to answer my own questions. I dislike more having a president that cannot admit to making a mistake, he must think he is on the same level as God.

[sutz12]

5. That quote says a lot....

"When I go by the cemetery at Arlington, it doesn't say Democrat or Republican on there," Murtha said. "It just says American."

Well said. It should be in that democratic quote thread. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Cha]

6. He's just a Sweetie and

a very unique person!

[Adelante]

8. "the investigations will start"

Yes, sir, and this is why we have to stop screwing around and get the Dems back in power in November.

[Rose Siding]

16. Just as Pelosi, Conyers, Reid and Dean have said-

Seeing a united front is reassuring. The press won't let hear it, of course, and it gets muddied further by many on the left (who are so understandably outraged)

Investigations, laws, and due process -If those aren't still preferable to mobs with torches we'll never be able to undo bush damage.

[mopinko]

10. a true hero. ask your congresscritter to invite him to your district.

he will go anywhere for a townhall meeting about this debacle. i saw him here in chicago recently, and he is great. pulling no punches, telling the truth.

[Imagevision]

11. Republicans be prepared to answer tough questions about the war

let the investigations finally begin...

[sandyd921]

12. Thank you Mr. Murtha!

"If Democrats win a majority in the House in November, which Murtha predicts will happen, the Republican administration should be prepared to answer tough questions about the war, he said.

"It will be a stunning thing to them, and then the investigations will start," Murtha said.

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[bvar22]

13. K&R

For a Democrat with courage and integrity.
The beltway Democrats couldn't run away from Murtha fast enough.

The Democratic Party is a BIG TENT, but there is NO ROOM for those
who advance the agenda of THE RICH (Corporate Owners) at the EXPENSE of LABOR and the POOR.

[progressoid]

14. Damn people, we gotta win this. Those criminals need to pay.

[NVMojo]

15. thanks for posting this ...good to read it !