Representative John Murtha (D-PA), conservative Democrat, decorated Vietnam veteran, patriot, said those words today (
C&L video here) about our troops in Iraq. Murtha discussed his reasons with a gruff eloquence and with intelligence. Certainly persons of good faith can completely disagree with Murtha's assessment.
What they cannot do is question Murtha's patriotism. Murtha said "we have to do the right thing." And Murtha believes withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq is the right thing to do.
Fred Hiatt wrote:
What Lieberman doesn't say is that many Democrats would view [loss of support for the Iraq Debacle] as an advantage. Their focus on 2002 is a way to further undercut President Bush, and Bush's war, without taking the risk of offering an alternative strategy -- to satisfy their withdraw-now constituents without being accountable for a withdraw-now position.
Many of them understand that dwindling public support could force the United States into a self-defeating position, and that defeat in Iraq would be disastrous for the United States . . . [b]ut the taste of political blood as Bush weakens, combined with their embarrassment at having supported the war in the first place, seems to override that understanding.
I dare Hiatt to say that about John Murtha.
I dare Glenn Reynolds to question the patriotism of John Murtha.
I dare Dick Cheney to question Murtha's commitment to the United States.
I dare George Bush to say a word about John Murtha's support for our troops.
John Murtha has revealed the despicable nature of the New McCarthyism. And by doing so, he did a great service for our country today. For those who agree with him. And for those who don't.