Murtha Breaks With Bush And Silencing Starts

Democratic Congressperson from Pennsylvania, John Murtha, called a press conference to introduce his resolution for leaving Iraq. This was truly big and unexpected. John Murtha, is a true hawk who has supported the Bush policy on Iraq to the limit - until recently. He is a Vietnam Veteran with 37 years of service in the Marines, and has very strong ties to the Generals in the Pentagon. Perhaps we should not have been surprised by the Republican/Bush response to Murtha's breaking ranks. We saw it happen when Bush & Co., attacked John McCain, Max Cleland, John Kerry, Joe Wilson. The response de jure is to smear and humiliate. With Kerry, the administration created the "Swift Boat Vets" With Murtha, the Republican Congresspeople themselves got their hands dirty.

The Republicans went on the attack. First in a press conference, then by serendipitously starting an ethics investigation against him, and finally on the floor of the House.

The Republicans refused discussion of Murtha's House Resolution 563, and put forward their own - H.R. 571. Unlike Murtha's resolution which called for a redeployment of U.S. forces stationed in Iraq, the Republican resolution simply called for immediate troop withdrawal from Iraq. In the floor "debate," the Democrats gave all of their time to Murtha, while the Republican's launched rhetorical and degrading volleys at Murtha and at any who would question Bush's policy and "plan" in Iraq. It was dirty, it was mean, and it served no purpose other than political.

Republicans clearly stated that they wanted their resolution voted against. The purpose, purportedly, was to force the hand of the Democrats. The Democrats (with few exceptions) chose to also vote against the resolution - as did virtually all of the Republicans. Personally, I feel that the Dems should have called the Republicans out, voted for it and shamed the Republicans into voting for it as well. Regardless, it was a non-binding resolution which essentially mean that it was a "statement," and not legally binding.

I watched as much of the "debate" as I had time for, and I was shamed as a citizen to watch the debacle, personal attacks, and outright meanness of the Republican side of the House. I was also outraged that my tax dollars were going to pay these yahoos to engage in such shameful behavior. It a blatant display of partisan hubris, a Republican Congressman argued against Murtha's resolution which was not even under discussion. A Democratic Congressman then called a point of parliamentary procedure to clarify exactly which resolution was being debated. The Speaker of the House said it was Murtha's resolution that was being debated - which brought an uproar from the Democrats. The Democrat called the question again, and the Speaker backed down and said it was HR 571 (the Republican Resolution).

I do not know John Murtha, but he is clearly pro-military. When he called for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, you can bet that is the sentiment of the military side of the Pentagon. One thing it is clear that Murtha is not is a coward - despite the claims of Cheney and the Republicans. It took a lot of guts for him to take the stand he did. A stand that was not only a reversal of his previous support for the war, but in opposition to an administration to which he has very long and friendly ties. Even this closeness did not save him from the immediate attack for his "stepping out of line."

Plamegate continues with a new Grand Jury and an expanded investigation that goes to espionage. I am not a lawyer, but it would not seem to be difficult to establish a pattern of vendetta by the administration. It is a tactic they use whenever challenged. As such, the "possibility" that they attacked Joe Wilson through his wife seems more than "incidental" or "accidental." It is the clear pattern of "smear, defame, destroy" and no one is immune - not even a staunch hawk like Murtha.