[theknife]

Originally Posted by Sinner

By the way, Murtha's timing is extremely suspect--he waited until the President is in South Korea to publicly embarrass him before one of our allies, which is facing a dangerous enemy to their north. Has Murtha thought about what both Koreas (North and South) think of this, and how this impacts the national security of not only the United States, but South Korea? Is Murtha too cowardly to face Bush when he is down the street at the White House?

Bush has already embarrassed the greatest military force on the planet by putting them into a war they cannot win. Murtha cannot give China or Iran or North Korea anymore comfort than Bush already has, from seeing US forces, bogged down and quite vulnerable, in Iraq.

Murtha's credentials in this area are impeccable - it's a reality check you can take to the bank.

edit: btw, the GOP resolution to withdraw, being debated at this moment, is a bluff - a sham to see if the Dems have the spine to stand up and be counted (it's unlikely they do). note the difference between Murtha's resolution and the Republican version:

Murtha's Version -

Whereas Congress and the American People have not been shown clear, measurable progress toward establishment of stable and improving security in Iraq or of a stable and improving economy in Iraq, both of which are essential to "promote the emergence of a democratic government";

Whereas additional stabilization in Iraq by U, S. military forces cannot be achieved without the deployment of hundreds of thousands of additional U S. troops, which in turn cannot be achieved without a military draft;

Whereas more than $277 billion has been appropriated by the United States Congress to prosecute U.S. military action in Iraq and Afghanistan;

Whereas, as of the drafting of this resolution, 2,079 U.S. troops have been killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom;

Whereas U.S. forces have become the target of the insurgency,

Whereas, according to recent polls, over 80% of the Iraqi people want U.S. forces out of Iraq;

Whereas polls also indicate that 45% of the Iraqi people feel that the attacks on U.S. forces are justified;

Whereas, due to the foregoing, Congress finds it evident that continuing U.S. military action in Iraq is not in the best interests of the United States of America, the people of Iraq, or the Persian Gulf Region, which were cited in Public Law 107-243 as justification for undertaking such action;

Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That:

Section 1. The deployment of United States forces in Iraq, by direction of Congress, is hereby terminated and the forces involved are to be redeployed at the earliest practicable date.

Section 2. A quick-reaction U.S. force and an over-the-horizon presence of U.S Marines shall be deployed in the region.

Section 3 The United States of America shall pursue security and stability in Iraq through diplomacy.

Republican Version:
RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that
the deployment of United States forces in Iraq be terminated immediately.

Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the deployment of United States forces
in Iraq be terminated immediately.