Congressman John MurthaJohn Murtha, part of an anti-smear smear campaign? Who would have thought? Do their targets include bloggers?
Treason time?
Friday, July 20, 2007
Your editorial about surrender in Iraq was a disgrace ("The war in Iraq," July 15 and PghTrib.com). Withdrawal from Iraq would have catastrophic consequences.So now you join forces with the traitor Murtha to attack President Bush: We have not been attacked by our enemies in over five years. The economy is booming. We now have a responsible Supreme Court. Yes, Bush is doing a lousy job.
You advised people not to vote last November and you see the result. Now you want to surrender and betray our troops.
You are traitors like Murtha, Pelosi, Reid and Kennedy, and you all deserve the justice due for treason.
William Overdorff
Pennsbury Village
Actually, William, I feel the same way. Hopefully PA-12 voters will follow your lead in '08, when it's time to put the self-serving gasbag out to pasture.
I couldn't have said it better myself.Jack Murtha, venture capitalist
Funny how attempts at congressional ethics reform keep running into roadblocks like Rep. Jack Murtha. The Pennsylvania Democrat and chair of the House defense appropriations subcommittee is best known in this context as the man who once called the ethics package "total crap." He represents an economically depressed corner of southwest Pennsylvania whose largest city, Johnstown, has lost 5 percent of its population since 1990. Not even considering the man's unique personal qualities, one senses where this earmark story is headed.
"Murtha has almost — but not quite — single-handedly created a new economy in his district," concludes Roll Call this week in an overview of the lawmaker's earmarking activities. Frequently, the money "is for startups that essentially would not be in business were it not for Murtha's largesse." In other cases, the pattern shows Mr. Murtha inserting an earmark, after which a company opens a Johnstown office, which in many cases then goes neglected, or never quite grows. In the case Roll Call highlights, an Indiana, Pa., groundbreaking for Rockville, Md.-based Aeptec Microsystems is all glory at the outset. Years later, the building is nearly unoccupied a month after its opening. Meanwhile, the firm's federal contracts, as secured through Mr. Murtha's earmarks, mushroom.
"The pattern that appears dominant is that the companies' federal contract dollars expand shortly after they open an office in the 12th Congressional {bullet}istrict — though it is not entirely clear how much of their work is actually conducted in the district," the newspaper concludes.
With Murtha Inc. calling the shots on defense appropriations, some are chortling that he fancies himself a kind of taxpayer-backed venture capitalist operating in service to his job-hungry district. To judge by the fruits, though, the unindicted "Abscam" coconspirator could not be considered a very successful "venture capitalist." We'd stick with a more traditional label like pork-barreller.
...With a competent and full intelligence picture??? Is that so?Murtha Insists: Redeploy Out of Iraq Now
June 3 (LPAC)—"There's a bloodbath now that is going on" in Iraq and the only solution is for the U.S. to redeploy out of the country, declared Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa), who has one of the most accomplished military records in the U.S. Congress. Murtha also demonstrated today on the ABC News show, "This Week," that he is one of very few elected officials with a competent and full intelligence picture on Iraq.
This increase in casualties, however are expected, since our soldiers are actually confronting and taking out the bad guys:U.S. general says troop surge has led to progress in Iraq
By Aamer Madhani
Chicago Tribune
(MCT)
WASHINGTON - With the last month marking one of the deadliest periods for U.S. troops since the start of the war, the second-ranking U.S. military commander in Iraq said Thursday that some progress has been made in the early going of the troop buildup.
Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno, the commander of multinational troops in Iraq, said that overall sectarian violence is down, attacks in volatile Anbar province have been cut by half and nearly 18,000 enemy fighters have been captured this year.
"We've made small progress here. We have not made the progress that I think is necessary yet, but I hope over the summer that we will continue to make progress," Odierno said.
For the moment, however, any gains on the security front have been overshadowed by the American death toll.
At least 122 U.S. service members were killed in May, making it the deadliest month of the war since November 2004, when 137 troops were killed in action as the military fought some of the most pitched battles of the war in the embattled city of Fallujah. Two others U.S. soldiers who were captured in an attack earlier this month remain missing.
But I'm sure that Jack Murtha, being the "most competent" military mind in congress, already knew that.The increased casualties are of course lamentable, and for the individuals and families involved, they bring a heavy price. But exposure to violence is the nature of combat, and battles are fought to win. We are seeing benefits that will help bring us victory.1. An increase in actionable intelligence from residents. The population sees that the Coalition is sharing in their hardships, that we are living among them and so a level of trust with local communities is developing that had not been there before.
2. With this increase in actionable intelligence naturally come more successful actions, in the form of raids, ambushes, attacks, and searches. The liberation of 41 prisoners from an AQ prison last month is one excellent example out of many that have been reported, and many more that have not been reported. This increase in successful operations in turn degrades the enemy's capabilities and effectiveness.3. The press has reported the terrorists are moving to different areas outside of Baghdad, where the violence has picked up. What is not being widely reported, but is unclassified, is that in response, Coalition commanders have moved more troops into those same areas to counter the insurgents' operations. The increase in violence in these spots is a sign that they have not eluded us by fleeing., rather than that violence is really spreading.
4. Because the Coalition has moved into these COPs or JSSs with the ISF elements, trust has grown between the two forces. Any combat veteran with tell you that participating in combat with another person is the quickest way to build a deep and dedicated relationship, which in turn leads to a corresponding strong trust. This trust is not just a trust between units, it is a trust between individuals, which is the strongest trust, that compels a person to do anything for his friend. This in turn makes for more effective missions.5. Some in the ISF that have been working with the bad guys due to a lack of Coalition presence now have, for lack of a better term, "supervision". It is now harder for these bad apples to slip away and participate in passing intelligence to, and participating in, operations with the enemy, death squads, militias, and in insurgent activities. It is informative to note how the secretarian violence has dramatically decreased since the start of the surge. This is a result of the surge, not of some random phenomenon.6. An increase in the raw numbers of US and Iraqi Security Forces in Baghdad means more soldiers per capita in Baghdad. With more soldiers come more contact with friendly Iraqis, neutral Iraqis, and insurgents. So while the vital trust is built, the vital enemy contact is made; and so more good is done and more enemy are killed or captured; but more Americans are, unfortunately, killed and injured.
Having received a phone call from my son in Iraq yesterday, I can unequivocally say that he is anything but confused and fatigued. And for that seditious windbag of slime to come out and say anything to that effect is proof positive that the only place from which he speaks is his anal cavity.Iraq is a topic at Truman Days
Rep. John Murtha tells Independence audience that U.S. troops are confused and fatigued.
Congressional Democrats could use the threat of impeachment as a lever against President Bush in the battle over the handling of the Iraq war, Rep. John P. Murtha, D-Pa., said Sunday.What a senile, megalomaniacal, opportunistic piece of garbage. PA-12, what were you thinking?
"What I’m saying, there’s four ways to influence a president. And one of them’s impeachment,” said Murtha, according to the Web site Politco.com. Murtha, chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, made his remarks on "Face the Nation.”
Egyptian pharoahs had the sphinx and the Great Pyramids; Emperor Shah Jahan had the Taj Mahal; Saddam had the crossed swords in Baghdad;Edifice Nix"Donating" millions upon millions of hard-earned taxpayer dollars to pork barrel projects, getting untold free campaign advertising from having those projects named after you, and not having to shell out a penny by yourself.
Members have a complex.
By Deroy Murdock
Johnstown, P.A. — Devastated in 1889 by a notorious flood, this town today welcomes turboprop aircraft to its tiny airport. Approaching the terminal — which a decent-sized grocery store would dwarf — a sign greets passengers:— John Murtha —
Johnstown Cambria County AirportInside, a framed photo features Congressman Murtha meeting employees at a local factory and praising their employer for creating jobs. Another picture shows the vocal Iraq-war critic’s face superimposed on the Stars and Stripes.
Near the front door, a portrait of Murtha — clad in a dark suit, white shirt, and dark tie — smiles from the wall, as Old Glory rises from an adjacent flag stand.
During the 1990’s [sic], largely through the efforts of Congressman Murtha, this airport extended its runway, updated its landing, approach lighting, and instrument landing systems, built a commercial aviation complex, was a catalyst for major upgrades to sewage and water services on this plateau, and became the home to nine National Guard and Reserve units, which include a new air-traffic control tower and state-of-the-art radar system that services commercial and military traffic,” reads a plaque beside the Democrat’s picture. “The total federal investment was approximately $125 million.”
So, this whole place is essentially a $125 million political ad funded by America’s taxpayers. Murtha’s face greets every constituent who traverses this airport. These repeat impressions, as advertisers call them, boost Murtha’s name identification and ease his reelection to Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District, which he has represented since 1975.
Gruff, jowly John Murtha wouldn't seem to be a Code Pink kinda guy, what with his appetite for pork and his pro-gun, antiabortion Marine hero bona fides.And why wouldn't he? After all, he was showered with honors by this group. The same group, btw, that continues to picket the soldiers at Walter Reed, and the organization which raised money for the Iraqi terrorists targeting American troops. The same group that is in league with factions of the communist party. And yes, the same group that gave ol' Jihad Jack the "Man of the Year" award last year.
But there the congressman was, in a Rayburn House Office Building hallway, gallantly protecting some war protesters from the group who had been tossed out of a hearing room and threatened with arrest.
"He said 'I know these people,' he gave me his hand and said we wouldn't be arrested," said Medea Benjamin, a San Francisco human rights activist who was doing her earnest best Tuesday to end the war when her lobbying methods provoked the displeasure of the U.S. Capitol Police. Code Pink ladies on one side; uniforms on the other. In the middle, the impressive bulk of 74-year-old Murtha. He called the sergeant at arms and didn't leave until he was assured the women would be released, Benjamin said.
"He's one of the most principled people I have ever met," said Benjamin of the Pennsylvania Democrat. "I don't know about the past. I'm sure there's plenty I wouldn't like. I'm sure there's plenty about his present record I wouldn't like. But I really respect his position on this issue. And today, he stood up for us."
Mason Wilson, 58, believed U.S. Rep. John Murtha’s pledge to support veterans.So, still believing in "our hero", Wilson pulls up stakes in Kansas, to travel "over the rainbow" to PA-12. He packs up everything he has in the world, and takes all the trouble to travel cross-country from Kansas, just so he has a chance to speak with "The Wizard" Murtha. And what happens?
The partially disabled Vietnam War veteran believed so deeply that he uprooted his family and moved them 1,100 miles from Wichita, Kan., to become a constituent of the Johnstown Democrat.
“The Wichita (Veterans Administration) was not helping me,” Wilson said, recounting his 10-year effort for increased benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder.
Homeless since arriving Friday, Wilson has been living in his 1991 Ford Astro minivan with his daughter, Tamesha Lee Wilson, 22, and grandson, Trevon Lee Duff, 2.
Wilson saw Murtha on television addressing veterans’ issues and sent him a request for help. Murtha’s office returned a polite apology, saying such assistance is a courtesy “for those individuals who reside within the 12th Congressional District.”
...Wilson said Murtha has been no more helpful than his former congressman, U.S. Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Kan.Well, with all due respect, Mr. Wilson, much like the four who traversed the perils of Oz to seek the wizard that really wasn't a wizard, the best advice one can give to you is, "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!"
“I asked, ‘Will I be able to see him?’ He’s out of town.”
“We have been doing everything we can to help Mr. Wilson,” Murtha spokesman Brad Clemenson said, adding it is unlikely Murtha will meet with him.
Even Al Jazeera Sees Improvement in Baghdad SituationOoooh... that's gotta hurt Jihad Jack, who has hitched his political fortunes to failure in Iraq, and most recently to try to derail Bush's new strategy.
By Mark Finkelstein
CNSNews.com Correspondent
March 07, 2007
(CNSNews.com) - Indications that the new U.S. military strategy in Iraq is starting to improve conditions in Baghdad came from an unlikely source Wednesday -- the Qatar-based al Jazeera television network.
"I was just earlier this afternoon [Iraq time] with Al Jazeera English, talking to their reporter," Multi-National Force spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell told Cybercast News Service from Baghdad.
"She gets downtown [Baghdad] a lot. She was the one who told me, 'You know, General, there's a real change in the city right now.' And I said, 'Well, I can't tell you I definitely know that.'
"But she said, 'No, there is. I'm down there all the time, and there's a positive change in the city. The people are feeling like something is different - not able to articulate exactly what's different, but they're feeling that something is different.'"
Caldwell, who made the comments during a conference phone call, was responding to a question about whether he has seen any change in media coverage of the situation in Iraq in recent days.
He predicted that the improved conditions in the capital would "speak for themselves" and in time be reported by the U.S. media when reporters are embedded with military units in the days ahead.
Caldwell told Cybercast News Service that reporters have begun to embed with the 2nd Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division, operating in Sadr City, and he expected positive media reports soon.
"Everybody had predicted that the Sadr City movement would be very challenging, but it's actually proving to be very much a cooperative effort between us, the Iraqi security forces and the citizens, the residents, of Sadr City.
"It's very positive," he said. "Not a shot's been fired, and everything seems to be moving along in a positive vein."
"...The lady doth protest too much, me thinks..."The American Soldier is indeed being betrayed, by the unholy axis of Defeatists... Pelosi, Kerry, and yes--brave, brave Sir Murtha.
Yes, she does protest and has been protesting with most or all of the high moral and ethical values our Founding Fathers include in our Declaration of Independence and The Constitution. Ever since her ascendancy to chair the California Democratic Party and embrace her brand of political "progressiveness," House Leader Nancy Pelosi has consistently sought legislation belying her faith and belief in these documents.
In fact, if truth be known, she, now one of the most powerful women in America is probably planning to rewrite these revered historical documents, with her confrere and collaborator, Pennsylvania Congressman John Murtha, in order to punctuate their a posteriori reasoning.
Despite all the evidence, it is Vice President Dick Cheney's contention that thwarting President Bush's troop "surge" in Iraq, as the Pelosi/Murtha bloc proposes, would in effect "validate" al-Qaida's strategy to break the will of the American people. This "slow bleed' Pelosi/Murtha unsubtle stratagem would link the $93.4 billion spending bill for Afghanistan and Iraq to an imposition of almost impossible conditions on the training, equipping of our military.
Simply put, Pelosi and Murtha maintain that our troops would not, under their resolution, have the training, would NOT have the equipment, would NOT have the proper rest and ergo! would NOT be able to function as a fighting machine.
How does one interpret such chicanery, such a deceitful action? Patriotism? Treason? Traitorous? Or merely concern for the safety of our troops, allowing them to hurry home, their tail between their legs?
Resolutions of every size, content and conceit have been flooding Congress, especially by "patriotic' Democrats who always seem to interpret a win as a grant of some sort of nobility and an endowment of unparalleled wisdom and perspicacity. Congressman Levin solemnly disparages Bush's "surge" as a "plunge." Sens. Joe Biden and Chuck Schumer seek to rewrite or decertify the war by nullifying the 2002 congressional authorization for the use of military force to remove Saddam Hussein and, thus, curb President Bush's option to fight and win the war against terror. And, in their words - as our enemies listen and our troops hear - "the pressure will mount, not unlike Vietnam, and Bush, now with a grievously flawed strategy and misplaced obsession, will per force, call the troops home." Huzzah!
Al-Qaida, the radical anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and Iran, who supplies Iraq insurgents with killing weaponry, welcome all the congressional dissent. They laughingly enjoy the many defeatist signs signaling them via a Chinese-like menu of anti-Bush resolutions to pick from: Column A or Column B ... or even C or D. In effect, welcoming an American inglorious failure.
Quit. Appeasement. Surrender. The precise words interpreting these "non-binding" resolutions, especially those of strategists Pelosi and Murtha, are effectively eroding the morale of our military. In another war, and another generation, America stood as one and fought as one. Victory was the only resolution ... not the spineless and cowardly endeavors of a Congress that dares not defund the war effort, while aiming for a political and ideological win.
Memories of Cassino, Yorktown, Valley Forge, Battle of the Bulge, Tarawa, Iwo Jima, Ho Chi Minh City and the heroes who gave their lives and those who still carry their wounds - physical and mental - still live with us. Indelibly. Yet, members of Congress ... even those who claim to have earned distinguished military honors, conveniently forget, that ALL gave selflessly to achieve freedom ... freedom from brutality ... from slavery ... from secular immorality and freedom to live and love.
For the first time in a very critical phase of WWII, American troops were forced to retreat from Alsace Lorraine in the dead of night due to a fuel shortage and German armies mounting a final putsch to turn the war around. The scuttlebutt was that a black market at home caused the shortage. We cursed the culprits, hoping that hell would befall them with a bitter taste of war on home's doorsteps. (emphases added-ed.)
This should not be our wish. We need no repeat of 9/11 to shake and awaken us to the danger of terror. Yet, we invite terror to our very doorsteps with our pusillanimous partisan vacillations, whiny protests and the loss of faith in our will to win ... and our will to expunge the implacable jihadi enemy: terrorism.
Joseph J. Duome is a former New York newsman and WWII veteran.
INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILYBut even at 90 years old, Cronkite isn't ready to stop trying to destroy his nation:Posted 3/1/2007
Media Bias: He said that "for every means we have to escalate, the enemy can match us" and that "we are mired in stalemate." It was Walter Cronkite on Feb. 27, 1968. And he's at it again.
As the Democrats search for words to justify defunding the war in Iraq or imposing restrictions on our constitutionally defined commander in chief, they might revisit Uncle Walter's post-Tet offensive broadcast, in which he conned a trusting nation by describing a massive North Vietnamese defeat as a communist victory.
The "most trusted man in America" said Vietnam was unwinnable. Then-President Lyndon Johnson reportedly told an aide, "If I've lost Cronkite. I've lost Middle America." Cronkite lists the broadcast, "Report from Vietnam," and LBJ's reported reaction, among his proudest moments.
Walt, rest easy now. Your torch of seditionist vomit has been successfully passed to such stalwarts as Nancy Pelosi, and yes, brave, brave, Sir Murtha. They'll continue to work hard to make sure that your vision of an emasculated America, subordinate to radical Islam and every other two-bit ideology who wants to take a shot at it, takes hold.But John Murtha & Co. needn't go back that far. Like Jimmy Carter, Cronkite refuses to leave the public stage and, while experiencing everything, appears to have learned nothing. The 90-year-old pundit was in San Jose, Calif., last week to assert that the war in Iraq was also a "terrible disaster" and "the earlier we get out, the better."
Cronkite also opined: "Look at the loss of lives of our young Americans there and those who have been maimed for life. For what purpose? No purpose we can define." He also said "I think we're probably less safe" and that the only thing we've accomplished is that the "entire Arab world has put us down as an enemy."
Cronkite and the Democrats were wrong in '68 and are wrong now. But in their world of naive appeasement, failure is not only an option, it is the desired result. Iraq is not Vietnam, but they're trying to make it so.
(From Al Reuters)WASHINGTON, March 1 (Reuters) - House of Representatives Democrats will more than fully fund President George W. Bush's request for money to fight wars in Iraq and Afghanistan this year, but they are still debating conditions that could be attached, senior members of the U.S. House of Representatives said on Thursday.Anytime--I mean ANYTIME you see anything else from Murtha or the MSM regarding the democrat plan to "support our soldiers", hearken back to this post.
"There will be $98 billion for the military part," about $5 billion above the Bush administration's request, said Rep. John Murtha, chairman of a defense spending panel overseeing war funds.
Murtha told reporters Democrats were still discussing provisions he wants to attach requiring that U.S. soldiers have proper training, adequate equipment and enough rest before being deployed into combat in Iraq. "We don't have it yet. We keep going back and refining it," Murtha said.
But he sketched out a certification process that could be tougher than one floated earlier this week in which Bush would have been given flexibility to "waive" Murtha's requirements.
Remember, Nancy Pelosi and Jack Murtha, to use the words of Forrest Gump, were like "peas and carrots." After all, Jihad Jack was Nancy's pick to be second in command. Pelosi has been with Murtha all the way in his efforts to sabotage our war effort and in doing so destroy the Bush legacy.But then Murtha's big fat mouth (yes, perhaps even bigger than his "big fat backside") engaged, spilling the beans as to what was the real motivation behind his 'slow-bleed' plan:House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., meanwhile, said she doesn't support tying war funding to strict training and readiness targets for U.S. troops.
The comments distanced her from Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., who has said he wants to use Congress' spending power to force a change in policy in Iraq, by setting strict conditions on war funding.
Pelosi said she supports holding the administration to training and readiness targets, but added: "I don't see them as conditions to our funding. Let me be very clear: Congress will fund our troops."
Asked whether the standards should be tied to a $100 billion supplemental war spending measure — as Murtha has proposed — Pelosi demurred, saying it was up to the panel that drafts funding bills.
Chairman Murtha will describe his strategy for not only limiting the deployment of troops to Iraq but undermining other aspects of the president’s foreign and national security policy. Chairman Murtha discusses these steps in a videotaped conversation with former Congressman Tom Andrews (D-ME), the National Director of the Win Without War coalition, sponsor of MoveCongress.org.(Heh--Chairman Murtha-- did anyone else get the double entendre?)
Join us here tomorrow for this exclusive interview.
Mr. Murtha's cynicism is matched by an alarming ignorance about conditions in Iraq. He continues to insist that Iraq "would be more stable with us out of there," in spite of the consensus of U.S. intelligence agencies that early withdrawal would produce "massive civilian casualties." He says he wants to force the administration to "bulldoze" the Abu Ghraib prison, even though it was emptied of prisoners and turned over to the Iraqi government last year. He wants to "get our troops out of the Green Zone" because "they are living in Saddam Hussein's palace"; could he be unaware that the zone's primary occupants are the Iraqi government and the U.S. Embassy?Murtha may have had an honorable career in the military, but in much the same way that Mario Andretti may have driven an Indy car 30 years ago doesn't make him qualified to do so today, the fact that Murtha was in the military years ago doesn't necessarily translate to expertise in today's conflicts; nor is it, unfortunately, a guarantee of his patriotism. As Mark pointed out, and as the header of this blog has indicated since its inception, Benedict Arnold was a decorated soldier before he committed treason.
As a favorite Bible passage of mine points out, "By their fruits shall ye know them." The fruits of Mr. Murtha's labors are more than indicative of gross incompetence, senility, outright treachery, or a combination thereof. At any rate, he has proven himself grossly incompetent and/or even downright dangerous given the position of importance that he holds.
--------------------------
Murtha may be a true friend of labor; but with regard to American soldiers and Marines, well-- with a friend like Murtha, who needs enemies?POSTED: 1:36 pm EST February 23, 2007UPDATED: 1:43 pm EST February 23, 2007JOHNSTOWN, Pa. -- Johnstown's Central Labor Council and the AFL-CIO honored veteran 12th District Rep. John Murtha.Murtha was honored as a "true friend of labor."He was cited as one of the co-sponsors of the Employee Free Choice Act, a bill that would make it easier for workers to unionize by giving companies less control over the union election process.The meeting was one of four held across Pennsylvania thanking members of Congress who are co-sponsors of the act....
Mr. Murtha has a different idea. He would stop the surge by crudely hamstringing the ability of military commanders to deploy troops. In an interview carried Thursday by the Web site MoveCongress.org, Mr. Murtha said he would attach language to a war funding bill that would prohibit the redeployment of units that have been at home for less than a year, stop the extension of tours beyond 12 months, and prohibit units from shipping out if they do not train with all of their equipment. His aim, he made clear, is not to improve readiness but to "stop the surge." So why not straightforwardly strip the money out of the appropriations bill -- an action Congress is clearly empowered to take -- rather than try to micromanage the Army in a way that may be unconstitutional? Because, Mr. Murtha said, it will deflect accusations that he is trying to do what he is trying to do. "What we are saying will be very hard to find fault with," he said.If the Washington Post (no conservative rag by any stretch of the imagination) has the balls to call Murtha for what he is, would it not also be incumbent on Murtha's hometown newspaper to present this side of Murtha to those who saw fit to send him to Washington for another term?Mr. Murtha's cynicism is matched by an alarming ignorance about conditions in Iraq. He continues to insist that Iraq "would be more stable with us out of there," in spite of the consensus of U.S. intelligence agencies that early withdrawal would produce "massive civilian casualties." He says he wants to force the administration to "bulldoze" the Abu Ghraib prison, even though it was emptied of prisoners and turned over to the Iraqi government last year. He wants to "get our troops out of the Green Zone" because "they are living in Saddam Hussein's palace"; could he be unaware that the zone's primary occupants are the Iraqi government and the U.S. Embassy?
****CORRECTION****
I erroneously attributed the original story to the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat.
In reality, it was a story from WJAC-TV in Johnstown.
I apologize for the error.
That sound bite from John Murtha suggests that it’s time a few things be said about him. Even the “Washington Post” noted he didn’t seem particularly well informed about what’s going on over there, to say the least. Look, this man has tremendous cachet among House Democrats, but he is not — this guy is long past the day when he had anything but the foggiest awareness of what the heck is going on in the world.And...
And that sound bite is naivete writ large, and the man is an absolute fountain of such talk, and the fact that he has ascended to the position he has in the eyes of the Democrats in the House and perhaps Democrats around the country tells you a lot about how much they know or care about what’s really going on over there.Amen, Britt.
Justin Sharratt - My SonNever forget. Always remember.
by Darryl Sharratt
I am the father of L/Cpl Justin Sharratt. On August16th, 2003 the dreams of a little boy became reality. My son Justin enlisted in the United States Marine Corps after high school graduation. Since the age of six, Justin dreamed of a military career. The combat boots, camouflage fatigues and helmet he wore as a child would soon become his uniform of the day as a United States Marine. To serve and protect the United States of America from all enemies both domestic and foreign; a duty he did not take lightly.
Justin’s first combat tour of duty was the city of Fallujah, Iraq. It was here, in the heat of the Iraqi desert, a boy became a man. Sharratt, Stone, Mitchell, Stevens and Wolf soon became ‘brothers by different mothers.’ In a battle known as “Hell House” they fought toe to toe with Iraqi insurgents bent on the destruction of U. S. Marines. They formed a bond forged in the furnace of combat; a bond that will last a lifetime. Semper Fidelis.
Upon his return from Iraq Justin joined us while on leave. He was transformed into the man all fathers dream and hope they will be. While on leave, Justin broke his ankle and was put on medical leave. It was at this time I realized what it meant to him to be an infantry rifleman, a grunt. He stared me in the eyes and said “Dad, all I want to do is get my ankle healed. I have to return to Iraq with 3-1 Kilo Company. The guys are counting on me to cover their six and I will never let them down.” Discussion ended—my son the warrior.
The city of Haditha, Iraq was the destination of 3-1 Kilo Company on Justin’s second deployment. Known to be a hot bed of Iraqi insurgency, the Marines of 3-1 Kilo Company could only envision what to expect. Seasoned from their tour in Fallujah, most of the Marines were on their second Operation Iraqi Freedom deployment, many their third. They were experienced combat veterans, drilled on the Rules of Engagement yet sensitive to their alien environment and the Iraqi populace.
On November 19, 2005, a convoy of four Marine humvees was ambushed on a city street in Haditha. A massive IED explosion ripped the fourth humvee in the column apart. One Marine was killed and two were seriously wounded. 3rd platoon, 3-1 Kilo Company, my son’s unit, was now in a firefight for their lives. There was no time for rage or revenge. Justin needed to apply his Marine Corps training and experience to preserve the lives of his fellow Marines. All the Marines in 3rd platoon responded in like manner- to preserve the lives of fellow Marines. Reinforcements were called in and an ambulance was needed to attend the wounded. Marines were positioned to defend their precarious position and a comm link was established to FOB Sparta. All done in the best of Marine Corps tradition and training while taking enemy fire.
In the aftermath of this engagement, 24 Iraqis were killed. A U.S. Congressman has called these Marines murderers. Time magazine has enlisted the propaganda of foreign journalists to sell its political agenda. Iraqi civilians have been schooled in making false statements. An Iraqi girl missed a day of school because she was afraid the bomb blast would injure her. Interesting reading, but I truly believe the American people can see through this barrage of media conjecture. I ask you not to prejudge my son, not to prejudge these Marines. They have served this country with honor, truth and diligence. I say unto you. the Few, the Proud, the Marines………..
War is a tragic thing. The enemy we are fighting has had centuries to prepare. They wear no uniforms, fight by no Rules of Engagement or follow the Geneva Convention. Using civilians as human shields is a common practice and their hatred for non-Islamic cultures is endemic.
The United States government has taken 12 months and spent millions of dollars and countless man-hours investigating the Haditha engagement. On December 21st, 2006, four NCOs and four officers were charged with violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. My son, LCpl Justin Sharratt faces three counts of unpremeditated murder. This is not the forum to discuss these charges but my son stands strong in the fact he followed the Rules of Engagement, protected his fellow Marines and did nothing wrong. All of these men are innocent of these charges. In the aftermath of 9-11, these men have risen to honorably serve their country. Some have given a lifetime of dedicated service, others were just beginning. They have demonstrated to the world there is “No better friend, No worse enemy” than a U.S. Marine.
For now, the handshakes will be tighter, the hugs will be longer and the tears sliding down my face are not a sign of weakness- they affirm a father’s love for his Marine son.
Darryl Sharratt Canonsburg, Pa.
www.justinsharratt.com
How do you sabotage a war effort for political gain, but keep your hands clean at the same time?
Ask Jack Murtha.
You see, this way they can bleed our troops and have the conditions under which they fight deteriorate gradually, with no one being the wiser.Top House Democrats, working in concert with anti-war groups, have decided against using congressional power to force a quick end to U.S. involvement in Iraq, and instead will pursue a slow-bleed strategy designed to gradually limit the administration’s options.
Led by Rep. John P. Murtha, D-Pa., and supported by several well-funded anti-war groups, the coalition’s goal is to limit or sharply reduce the number of U.S. troops available for the Iraq conflict, rather than to openly cut off funding for the war itself.
