Tag: military

Murtha Unaware of Consequences

Congressman John Murtha (D-PA) is calling for an immediate withdrawal of American forces from Iraq. All the talk about Iraq deadlines and withdrawal dates recently must have the white flag industry here in the U.S. in a frenzy.

Murtha isn’t just some generic liberal hippie douche bag speaking of what he doesn’t know. Murtha served as a Marine and he’s a combat veteran of the Korean War and Vietnam. He’s served our country more than most people ever will.

The comments by the Pennsylvania lawmaker, who has spent three decades in the House, hold particular weight because he is close to many military commanders and has enormous credibility with his colleagues on defense issues. He voted for the war in 2002, and remains the top Democrat on the House Appropriations defense subcommittee.


Now, being such a highly respected member of the defense community, I’d expect him to put some thought into the consequences of our leaving Iraq immediately. Maybe he’s perfectly aware of possible consequences, but if he was I don’t think he’d have made that speech.

How would the troops serving in Iraq feel if we left immediately and in 3 months there’s another Saddam in place? Or even worse, one of the various radical muslim groups could take total control of the country. In either case, say buh-bye to the Kurds as an ethnic group.

Democrats will keep on pressuring the Bush administration to set deadlines until we’re totally out of Iraq. The entire world is in for a hell of a trip when democrats take control of congress and the white house again. I just hope they’re bright enough to realize what they’ve done shortly after they decide to let the islamo-nutjobs reign free. This isn’t a war in Iraq, it’s a war against an idea that growing numbers of muslims worldwide adhere to. That’s it, no way around it. I realize that it’ll take four or five different administrations before some democrats will acknowledge that.

I’m not sure we need to worry about these speeches encouraging the likes of Bin Laden and Zarqawi. I think we should worry more about this sort of thing getting really popular among Democrats and those who oppose the war on terror. Hopefully it won’t encourage the other lefties to really start whining and actually get something done in terms of some sort of troop pullout.

James Joyner of Outside The Beltway has a freakin huge post about Murtha’s speech. He’s got clips from major news outlets. He’s got clips from bloggers. Probably won’t get much better than his post if you’re looking for a roundup.

Professor Bainbridge thinks Iraq is a huge mistake and that leaving now would only compound that error. I can relate to that mentality somewhat though. I’ve come to the conclusion for myself though that going into Iraq was for the good of everyone. Waiting would have just provided more opportunity for attacks in the U.S. If we’re successful in establishing a totally self-contained, self-supported democracy in Iraq, it’ll be a key country in attacking radical muslim terrorists throughout the middle east.

Confederate Yankee has an update stating that Murtha said pretty much the same thing last year. Well, these statements are more likely to encourage a possibly damaging upheaval from Democrats. Maybe they’ll take a hostage. heh.

Brian over at Iowa Voice is noticing this theme too:

Seems like a theme of late, really. A so-called “party leader” comes out and says we must withdraw from Iraq “NOW!”, or face certain defeat. It must have been Representative John Murtha’s turn with the memo

Oh, and Mudville Gazette says the numbers Murtha used in his speech are misleading, sorta:

There have indeed been over 15,500 wounded. But of those, 8375 returned to duty within 72 hours – so although those wounds weren’t funny perhaps those wounds weren’t quite serious either. Still, 7347 troops have been wounded severely enough to require over 72 hours recuperation.

A lot of unscrupulous types who just want to pretend to “support the troops” ignore these facts in favor of the less correct (and more impressive) claim that 15,500 troops have been seriously wounded, or maimed, or mutilated. The real numbers are big enough – I just can’t understand why some feel the need to pad them.

Others currently blogging on this subject:
The Mahablog
Lorie Byrd @ Michelle Malkin
California Conservative
Don Surber
The Counterterrorism Blog
Blogs for Bush
Sister Toldjah
A Blog for All

Again, the key here is simply the fact that the war is against an idea, not Iraq or any specific geographic location.

Oh, in a related update, Dr. Rusty Shackleford is back to blogging. I think he doesn’t remember the nation being so “wobbly” a couple months ago. The amount of wobbly is the same, it’s just being screamed now, where it was shouted previously.

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War, Not Candyland

Some Republican senators are calling “for Iraqi forces to take the lead next year in securing the nation and for the Bush administration to lay out its strategy for ending the war.” WHAT!?!

WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 – In a sign of increasing unease among Congressional Republicans over the war in Iraq, the Senate is to consider on Tuesday a Republican proposal that calls for Iraqi forces to take the lead next year in securing the nation and for the Bush administration to lay out its strategy for ending the war.

The Senate is also scheduled to vote Tuesday on a compromise, announced Monday night, that would allow terror detainees some access to federal courts. The Senate had voted last week to prohibit those being held from challenging their detentions in federal court, despite a Supreme Court ruling to the contrary.

Senator Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who is the author of the initial plan, said Monday that he had negotiated a compromise that would allow detainees at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, to challenge their designation as enemy combatants in federal courts and also allow automatic appeals of any convictions handed down by the military where detainees receive prison terms of 10 years or more or a death sentence.

Well, it just doesn’t get any stupider than that. Why do we need legislation to tell the Iraqis what to do? Bush laying out the stragety is just retarted anyway. I mean, sure, a general overview is nice and has been given time and time again without much notice from those who should take notice.

It seems like congress is all about letting our enemy get one up on us. You don’t tell your enemy what your plans are in a war, that’s just how it works. Do they expect our enemy not to act on this information? “Now, we’re going to set a withdrawl strategy, but you can’t use this information against us.” I don’t think that’ll work, though they may believe that’s how it’ll work. Since when are our senators flat out pussies willing to cop-out so easily? And those detainees are not american citizens. They should not be allowed access to our federal court system. They should be held until it’s proven they hold no threat the the U.S. and our allies. We’re at war, this isn’t a fucking game of candyland.

Scott at ScrappleFace feels basically the same way. Zarqawi is gonna be happy about this! Scott is right, I mean, we might as well ask for Zarqawi’s input on this. While we’re at it we should probably just let the paris riots continue un-hindered. What do we gotta lose?

Others blogging include Michelle Malkin, Right Wing Nuthouse and Hugh Hewitt. Donklephant says this is a good thing, basically how Kerry said he would have handled the situation, minus the U.N. and quarterly senate reports. I’m all for letting the Iraqi citizens take total control of their country, just not yet. We have to make sure they’re 100% ready or we’ll be right back in the same place we were 5 years ago. We’ve started down this line and we need to follow through, there’s no going back.

UPDATE: Looks like Bush won’t be forced to divulge future war plans. Instead, 2006 “should be a period of significant transition to full Iraqi sovereignty.” From the AP via Yahoo News:

On the question of a timetable for troop withdrawal, senators rejected the Democrats’ proposal by 58-40. Democratic leaders had advanced the measure in the wake of declining public support for a conflict that has claimed more than 2,000 U.S. lives and cost more than $200 billion.

Republicans countered with their own nonbinding alternative that the Senate approved on a 79-19 vote. Five Democrats sided with the majority party.

Instead of calling for a withdrawal timetable, the GOP provision urged that 2006 “should be a period of significant transition to full Iraqi sovereignty,” with Iraqi forces taking the lead in providing security to create the conditions for the phased redeployment of United States forces.

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Hey, Detainee! Gimme Those Rights!

The Senate has voted 49 to 42 on an amendment to a military budget bill that will strip some rights currently retained by detainees. These detainees are detainees for a reason, they shouldn’t get rights the average prisoner gets. From the NYT:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 – The Senate voted Thursday to strip captured “enemy combatants” at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, of the principal legal tool given to them last year by the Supreme Court when it allowed them to challenge their detentions in United States courts.

The vote, 49 to 42, on an amendment to a military budget bill by Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, comes at a time of intense debate over the government’s treatment of prisoners in American custody worldwide, and just days after the Senate passed a measure by Senator John McCain banning abusive treatment of them.

If approved in its current form by both the Senate and the House, which has not yet considered the measure but where passage is considered likely, the law would nullify a June 2004 Supreme Court opinion that detainees at Guantánamo Bay had a right to challenge their detentions in court.


What the hell? It’s more upsetting to me that these criminals have these sorts of rights. Gotta love sucking up to the enemy. And from WAPO:

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said he also faces some resistance from Senate colleagues and the White House as he considers whether to try attaching his proposal to a defense bill the Senate is debating this week. Senators could vote on the proposal as early as Thursday.

“What I object to is criminalizing the war. Enemy combatants, POWs have never had access to federal court before,” said Graham, a 20-year Air Force lawyer.

Well put Senator Graham. It only makes sense that we shouldn’t allow the enemy access to our federal court system. They have no place being there, their place is in prison. No doubt the ACLU will throw a fit. Many liberal bloggers are already whining and crying for the rights of these criminals and murders. Before we know it we’ll be forced to grant these people citizenship within the United States. I’m sure the ACLU would be happy with that.

We’re at war. Allowing prisoners, who are fighting for the opposing side, to appeal their cases is totally bogus and goes against all basic logic.

Others blogging:
Michelle Malkin
Stop the ACLU
Say Anything

Linked at The Political Teen and Mudville Gazette.

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Laptops for Wounded Soldiers

I’m not resisting anymore. I wasn’t reisisting before really, Patrick’s post over at Clarity and Resolve lit a fire under my ass. Soldiers Angels is hosting Project Valour-IT.

Every cent raised for Project Valour-IT goes directly to the purchase and shipment of laptops, software and equipment for the wounded servicemembers.

Currently we are forming “libraries” of laptops equipped with the voice-controlled software for wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines at each major military medical center to check out during their stay. Copies of the voice-controlled software for use on home computers are also available to servicemembers who still need it as they leave the medical center. In special circumstances, a laptop may be provided to a soldier for his or her permanent use.

Each fully equipped laptop will cost an estimated $685 (plus shipping), thanks to retailer discounts. Thus, the first two phases will require an estimated budget of about $110,000. Full implementation will require an estimated budget of $600,000 (click here for specs and estimated/expected costs).

They’re working to get notebooks for injured servicemen/servicewomen. You can’t argue with that, you just can’t. Don’t even attempt to cuz it’ll piss me off. When I signed up, the Air Force team had the fewest team members, so I joined that team, along with Conservative Thinking and The Jawa Report, two of my all-time favorite blogs. Mudville Gazette is heading up all the efforts on behalf of the Air Force team, so you might want to donate via their site.

These people give their limbs, mobility, and large portions of their lives to defending our freedoms. What better way to show a sign of appreciation for all their sacrifices than donating to get them some laptops? Everyone needs a laptop, especially these guys/gals. Donate below or over at Mudville Gazette.

UPDATE: I almost forgot. Make sure you check out the Valor-IT blog for the latest updates on their progress. After 3 days of fund raising, over $25,500 has been raised. Not too shabby. Now on to the donations…






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Best. Death Party. Ever.

I wrote a few days ago about Cindy Sheehan preparing to tie herself to a fence once the 2000th soldier in Iraq had died. Well, didn’t go exactly as she planned it would seem. The Political Pitbull has some pictures of lonely Cindy just sitting there playin with her blackberry. Sure doesn’t look like her 2000 deaths party was much of a success…

The hippies in San Fran seem to have had better success, if nothing else they had a good time. Really, go look at them. It looks like the set of a Cheech and Chong movie. Or as Ace puts it, “a tailgate party outside a fucking Phish concert.”

The Indepundit has a link to The Everlasting Phelps, who asks if you can tell the difference between these hippies in San Fran and partying White Sox fans. I sure can’t, there’s something seriously wrong there.

Thanks Basil, Don Surber, The Jawa Report, Mudville Gazette, The Blue State Conservatives, and Stop the ACLU for providing me with much needed linkage. I don’t think I’d see much traffic were it not for those kind people…

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