Murtha's concerned with stressed American troops - Republican co-chairman wants more fighter jets

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MURTHA'S CONCERNS

Rep. Bill Young of Florida, the senior Republican on the House Appropriations defense panel, said lawmakers were still negotiating over whether money should be included in the emergency war spending bill to fund F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets to replace F-16s lost in Iraq.

The airplanes, to be built by Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT.N: Quote, Profile, Research), would not be delivered for another three years, according to some estimates. Young said he supported funding the purchase now.

Murtha was one of the earliest and highest profile members of Congress to call for an end to the Iraq war in late 2005 and since then he has come under sharp attack from Republicans.

But in seeking conditions on war funds, Murtha has insisted that he is simply calling on the Pentagon to follow its own criteria for the training of soldiers and their duration in combat.

The former Marine says he is concerned about stressed American troops and an overall weakening of the military four years after the Iraq war started.

Speaking to reporters, Murtha said that during a recent visit to a military base he was looking at a seven-ton truck "and the damn seat fell out." Humvee vehicles, used to move troops around Iraq, have been outfitted with heavy armor, but lack strong enough suspension systems and engines to support them, Murtha complained.

http://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSN0142634720070301?pageNumber=2

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1. The new Bait in the new Bait and Switch is the Blood of American Troops.

Have you read this yet? http://www.newyorker.com/printables/fact/070305fa_fact_hersh

RE: General Pace's testimony before the Senate Appropriations committee yesterday - Pace is saying one third of the total military force in Iraq will not be fully manned, fully trained, or equipped. It's odd that Pace won't allow the Senate/Murtha to do anything about that. The only explanation I can think of is that is Cheney's will in the matter.

Pace also said before the Senate Appropriations Committee that a weak Iraqi government (Shia) results in stronger militias (Sunni). The "Redirection" documented by Seymour Hersh (linked above) describes a process that is weakening Shia in the region and strengthening Sunnis.

So, as the Sunni Iraqi militias get stronger they have to decide whether to kill more Americans or more Shia. Doesn't the fact that the Administration is resisting Murtha's plan, and thus leaving those forces weak in that situation, suggest that this is supposed to push the Sunni Iraqi militias in the direction of attacking the Shia instead?

It's the old "Bait and Switch" routine again. Only this time it is American Blood being waved under the noses of the Sunnis in the region to get them into what's going on, and then through the use of special Sunni operative$$$$$$$$, their efforts are turned on the Shia instead.

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