Murtha Says Marine Call-Up Means Iraq War Getting Worse, Not Better

[bigtree]

8/23/2006 10:35:00 AM

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=71133

Contact: Ed Mitchell, 570-826-6115, [e-mail]

JOHNSTOWN, Pa., Aug. 23 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Announcement of the involuntary recall of Marines yesterday is more evidence of how badly the Iraq war is going and the stress the war is putting on American fighting troops, according to Democratic U.S. Rep. John P. Murtha, PA-12.

"This recall is just another sign of how badly the war in Iraq is going. Bringing these Marines back to active duty after their tour of service was complete shows we are unable recruit the necessary volunteers to maintain troop levels in our armed forces. It also shows that at a time when we should be bringing our fighting men and women home from Iraq, we're sending more over there," Murtha said.

"Because of the mismanagement of this effort and all the killing and maiming in Iraq, young men and women are not joining the military at the necessary recruitment levels. We're involuntarily recalling Marines and increasing the age limit of soldiers to maintain troop levels.

"The rise in sectarian violence in Iraq is putting severe stress on the soldiers we have there and requiring more troops, rather than fewer. If everything were going as well as predicted or depicted by President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Secretary Rumsfeld, we would be fulfilling field commander's desires of earlier this year to reduce troops. Instead we're going to extraordinary means to increase them," Murtha said.

He added that the New York Times poll out this morning shows increased dissatisfaction on the part of Americans with the conduct of the war and the situation in Iraq. "Now more families and lives will be disrupted by this involuntary recall. We must redeploy our troops now and leave this war to be settled by the Iraqis," Murtha said.

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=71133


"So long as I'm president" (8-22-2006)

[sabra]

1. Murtha has been right all along

but all BushCo can do is smear...

[opihimoimoi]

10. Yup, they are swifting him but he is too strong, INTEGRITY< TRUTH

HONESTY< PATRIOTISM < COURAGE < COMMON SENSE < LOGIC < REALITY < BENEVOLENT < ALTRUISTIC < CREDIBLE, ETC

VS:

The Pubs Opposite....

[DemonFighterLives]

12. I picked up on your heading

Article from today:
"Everything I said turned out to be true" - Jack Murtha

http://www.startribune.com/587/story/629869.html

JOHNSTOWN, PA. - What a difference nine months makes.
Last November Rep. John P. (Jack) Murtha, D-Pa., thundered onto the national scene insisting that the U.S. military could accomplish nothing more in Iraq and could only make things worse. He called for pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq.

At the time, many of his Democratic colleagues considered his stance suicidal for their party when they're trying to regain control of Congress despite having long been seen as weak on national security.

Now, Murtha is one of the most popular Democrats around. In recent weeks he's raised campaign money in New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York and California. In Tennessee, he was former Vice President Al Gore's guest at a fundraiser for local Democrats. After Labor Day, Murtha will head back out on the road, helping up to four dozen of his party's candidates.

[Blackhatjack]

2. Tell the Truth,3-2-1 ....Just waiting for the Swiftboaters to arrive .....

... Murtha is telling the truth on 'em and it feels like hell!

There is no way increasing the troops in Iraq can be spun as a good thing.

I fear that the massing of troops in Baghdag is just the pre-positioning of forces for a major battle that could result in a massive loss of life, which could invite in Iranian Shiites. Can you imagine trying to extricate our troops in an all out sectarian war that is deadset on eliminating the US troops first? This could be very bad --and I think Murth knows it.

[Double T]

3. bushco will do everything in its power to squash the truth

[Historic NY]

4. Yes, he has..............

I just hope a couple of friends do not have to return for 4th & 5th tours....it like this administration want to kill our troops. There is no way out for them except a box. My buddy was hit twice in a month last year and is home with a new command but physically he still has not recovered. I sure hope his new command isn't called up again. He just lost 2 friends the other day from his previous command.

[TechBear_Seattle]

5. War is hell

Not that rich frat boys who went AWOL would know or care about that fact.

[gratuitous]

8. I used to kid about this administration

I used to kid around about this administration's lack of military experience and inability to listen to anyone with any expertise. I'd say that they viewed the troops as if they were playing the board game Risk. In your quest for world domination, you don't have to worry about troop rotations or troop fatigue. If you lose a few little armies, you put them back in the box. Then you take them out of the box when you need or earn more. You don't have to worry overmuch about supply lines or replacement parts or any of that logistical stuff. As long as you keep rolling sixes, you're good.

But the Bushistas don't have any idea about equipping, maintaining and servicing a fighting force, because none of them have any recent experience in the military, and most of them have as much experience as me -- which is to say, none. But if I were in charge of the military, I'd make real sure I had as many smart, experienced people around me as I could get. I'd listen to them when they agreed, I'd listen to them even closer when they disagreed. I'd ask as many questions as I could think of, and I'd learn as much as I could from them. And I'd never, ever forget that the men and women who volunteered for the military had done so with the expectation that they wouldn't be used frivolously or tossed away carelessly.

I don't see any of that from the corrupt Bush administration.

[bigtree]

9. the repeated tours are sad

what a burden for those families . . . just to prop up the Maliki regime.

[TheCowsCameHome]

6. So how do we get this on the front page?

This is terrible news. When will America wake up?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. Naaah. They just want to make sure the vets don't lose their tans.

[paparush]

11. Didn't Murtha Get the Memo? Shrub says -

"We will not leave Iraq as long as I am President".

Period.

End of Statement.

Class Dismissed.

Forget Congressional powers and congressional oversight. The Unitary Executive has done decidered.