Rep. Murtha Calls for 'Immediate Redeployment' of U.S. Troops In Iraq
Kevin Zeese
November 18, 2005
Now Rep. Pelosi Must Lead Democrats, Republicans Must Separate from Bush
For months, those of us who work Capitol Hill on the Iraq War have heard that Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), the leader of the Democratic Party in the House, could not go further on anti-war efforts because the right flank of the Democratic Party was not speaking out against the war. We were always told the key Democrat to watch was Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) a national security Democrat who is the senior member of the Appropriations Committee and a leader on military policy who every week visits wounded service personnel at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington or at the Bethesda naval hospital in suburban Maryland.
The 73 year old Murtha, who has served three decades in Congress, was perhaps the strongest supporter of the war among Democrats when the war began, summarized his views in the first paragraph of a speech given on November 17, 2005:
The war in Iraq is not going as advertised. It is a flawed policy wrapped in illusion. The American public is way ahead of us. The United States and coalition troops have done all they can in Iraq, but it is time for a change in direction. Our military is suffering. The future of our country is at risk. We can not continue on the present course. It is evident that continued military action in Iraq is not in the best interest of the United States of America, the Iraqi people or the Persian Gulf Region.”
Murtha went on to call for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq noting that after 32 months in Iraq no evidence has been found to support Bush’s claims of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. As a result, “The main reason for going to war has been discredited,” he said, concluding “It is not a world intelligence failure. It is a U.S. intelligence failure and the way that intelligence was misused.” According to The Los Angeles Times, Murtha called for beginning withdrawal immediately with completion in six months. He also urged a rapid deployment force remain in the region. The Associated Press described the former Marine and decorated Vietnam War veteran as “choking back tears”
Murtha, who recently visited Iraq and carefully reviews reports on the status of the war put forward a picture of a failed war saying:
Oil production and energy production are below pre-war levels. Our reconstruction efforts have been crippled by the security situation. Only $9 billion of the $18 billion appropriated for reconstruction has been spent. Unemployment remains at about 60 percent. Clean water is scarce. Only $500 million of the $2.2 billion appropriated for water projects has been spent. And most importantly, insurgent incidents have increased from about 150 per week to over 700 in the last year. Instead of attacks going down over time and with the addition of more troops, attacks have grown dramatically. Since the revelations at Abu Ghraib, American casualties have doubled. An annual State Department report in 2004 indicated a sharp increase in global terrorism.
I have concluded that the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq is impeding this progress.”
The exit plan put forward by Murtha puts him far ahead of the Out of Iraq Caucus and every proposal that has been made to leave Iraq in either House. (Although over a year ago Ralph Nader and I put forward a six month exit strategy.) No doubt Murtha’s well-informed, clear spoken comments on a need for an immediate change in course will add to the momentum for ending the Iraq War. Murtha who is an advisor to Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leader who despite being from an anti-war congressional district has barely done anything to oppose the Iraq War, may push the Democrats to a sensible rapid withdrawal position. Murtha is also respected by Republicans concerned with military issues and therefore his views could add support to the Rep. Walter Jones contingent that has been openly opposing the war. There have been reports for months that a larger contingent of Republicans was ready to break from the President on the Iraq War. Murtha could be the turning point in the debate on the Iraq War in Congress.
According to Murtha it is important for Iraqis to know before the next elections in mid-December that the United States plans an immediate redeployment. He described it as “No schedule which can be changed, nothing that's controlled by the Iraqis. This is an immediate redeployment of our American forces because they have become the target. All of Iraq must know that Iraq is free, free from a United States occupation.”
Murtha’s statement comes on the heels of the U.S. Senate voting to require President Bush to report on progress toward U.S. troops leaving Iraq and with the Senate calling 2006 a year of transition for Iraq. Murtha’s comments also come after President Bush and Vice President Cheney made their strongest comments against opposition to the war calling war opponents unpatriotic. In response to their claims that criticizing the war demoralizes the troops, Murtha said: “what demoralizes them is going to war with not enough troops and equipment to make the transition to peace; the devastation caused by IEDs; being deployed to Iraq when their homes have been ravaged by hurricanes; being on their second or third deployment and leaving their families behind without a network of support.”
Murtha’s final words took responsibility and explained his actions: “Because we in Congress are charged with sending our sons and daughters into battle, it is our responsibility, our OBLIGATION to speak out for them. That’s why I am speaking out.
Our military has done everything that has been asked of them, the U.S. can not accomplish anything further in Iraq militarily. IT IS TIME TO BRING THEM HOME.” [Emphasis in original.]
Kevin Zeese is director of Democracy Rising.
For months, those of us who work Capitol Hill on the Iraq War have heard that Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), the leader of the Democratic Party in the House, could not go further on anti-war efforts because the right flank of the Democratic Party was not speaking out against the war. We were always told the key Democrat to watch was Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) a national security Democrat who is the senior member of the Appropriations Committee and a leader on military policy who every week visits wounded service personnel at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington or at the Bethesda naval hospital in suburban Maryland.
The 73 year old Murtha, who has served three decades in Congress, was perhaps the strongest supporter of the war among Democrats when the war began, summarized his views in the first paragraph of a speech given on November 17, 2005:
The war in Iraq is not going as advertised. It is a flawed policy wrapped in illusion. The American public is way ahead of us. The United States and coalition troops have done all they can in Iraq, but it is time for a change in direction. Our military is suffering. The future of our country is at risk. We can not continue on the present course. It is evident that continued military action in Iraq is not in the best interest of the United States of America, the Iraqi people or the Persian Gulf Region.”
Murtha went on to call for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq noting that after 32 months in Iraq no evidence has been found to support Bush’s claims of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. As a result, “The main reason for going to war has been discredited,” he said, concluding “It is not a world intelligence failure. It is a U.S. intelligence failure and the way that intelligence was misused.” According to The Los Angeles Times, Murtha called for beginning withdrawal immediately with completion in six months. He also urged a rapid deployment force remain in the region. The Associated Press described the former Marine and decorated Vietnam War veteran as “choking back tears”
Murtha, who recently visited Iraq and carefully reviews reports on the status of the war put forward a picture of a failed war saying:
Oil production and energy production are below pre-war levels. Our reconstruction efforts have been crippled by the security situation. Only $9 billion of the $18 billion appropriated for reconstruction has been spent. Unemployment remains at about 60 percent. Clean water is scarce. Only $500 million of the $2.2 billion appropriated for water projects has been spent. And most importantly, insurgent incidents have increased from about 150 per week to over 700 in the last year. Instead of attacks going down over time and with the addition of more troops, attacks have grown dramatically. Since the revelations at Abu Ghraib, American casualties have doubled. An annual State Department report in 2004 indicated a sharp increase in global terrorism.
I have concluded that the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq is impeding this progress.”
The exit plan put forward by Murtha puts him far ahead of the Out of Iraq Caucus and every proposal that has been made to leave Iraq in either House. (Although over a year ago Ralph Nader and I put forward a six month exit strategy.) No doubt Murtha’s well-informed, clear spoken comments on a need for an immediate change in course will add to the momentum for ending the Iraq War. Murtha who is an advisor to Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leader who despite being from an anti-war congressional district has barely done anything to oppose the Iraq War, may push the Democrats to a sensible rapid withdrawal position. Murtha is also respected by Republicans concerned with military issues and therefore his views could add support to the Rep. Walter Jones contingent that has been openly opposing the war. There have been reports for months that a larger contingent of Republicans was ready to break from the President on the Iraq War. Murtha could be the turning point in the debate on the Iraq War in Congress.
According to Murtha it is important for Iraqis to know before the next elections in mid-December that the United States plans an immediate redeployment. He described it as “No schedule which can be changed, nothing that's controlled by the Iraqis. This is an immediate redeployment of our American forces because they have become the target. All of Iraq must know that Iraq is free, free from a United States occupation.”
Murtha’s statement comes on the heels of the U.S. Senate voting to require President Bush to report on progress toward U.S. troops leaving Iraq and with the Senate calling 2006 a year of transition for Iraq. Murtha’s comments also come after President Bush and Vice President Cheney made their strongest comments against opposition to the war calling war opponents unpatriotic. In response to their claims that criticizing the war demoralizes the troops, Murtha said: “what demoralizes them is going to war with not enough troops and equipment to make the transition to peace; the devastation caused by IEDs; being deployed to Iraq when their homes have been ravaged by hurricanes; being on their second or third deployment and leaving their families behind without a network of support.”
Murtha’s final words took responsibility and explained his actions: “Because we in Congress are charged with sending our sons and daughters into battle, it is our responsibility, our OBLIGATION to speak out for them. That’s why I am speaking out.
Our military has done everything that has been asked of them, the U.S. can not accomplish anything further in Iraq militarily. IT IS TIME TO BRING THEM HOME.” [Emphasis in original.]
Kevin Zeese is director of Democracy Rising.
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