former marine

Here’s the press release from his office:

Congressman John P. Murtha (PA-12) passed away peacefully this afternoon at 1:18 p.m. at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, VA. At his bedside was his family.

Murtha, 77, was Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.

First elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in February of 1974, Murtha dedicated his life to serving his country both in the military and in the halls of Congress. A former Marine, he became the first Vietnam War combat Veteran elected to the U.S. Congress.

This past Saturday, February 6, 2010, Murtha became Pennsylvania's longest serving Member of Congress.

I love how everyone always refers to McCain as a "maverick". Is aligning himself with the GOP on a majority of issues a maverick?

Today's Washington Post gives us the answer, by the family the term Maverick was branded for:

Arizona Sen. John McCain happily donned the "maverick" mantle in 2000 as he climbed aboard the Straight Talk Express and set off on his quest for the presidency. And he's still wearing it today, if a nappier version, as he rides into Tuesday's Texas primary as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

A bad fit, claimed my old friend Maury -- a Maverick by birthright and a maverick by inclination.

A San Antonio human rights lawyer and former state legislator who wrote a fervidly liberal newspaper column almost until the day he died in 2003 at 82, Maury Maverick Jr. considered himself a zealot for freedom. He was proud that his family had bequeathed its name to the vernacular, but he could be downright cantankerous about what he considered the illegitimate use of the eponym.

Just as not every cola is a Coke and not every tissue is a Kleenex, not every nonconformist is a maverick, the last of the maverick Mavericks insisted. As a former Marine who served in the Pacific during World War II, he saluted McCain's military service and his bravery during years of captivity. But Maury insisted that any conservative Republican, by definition, adhered too closely to the status quo to deserve the hallowed label.

Continue reading here.

It is good to see a politician with such honesty:

President Bush has pledged to work with the new Democratic majorities in Congress, but he has already gotten off on the wrong foot with Jim Webb, whose surprise victory over Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) tipped the Senate to the Democrats.

Webb, a decorated former Marine officer, hammered Allen and Bush over the unpopular war in Iraq while wearing his son’s old combat boots on the campaign trail. It seems the president may have some lingering resentment.

At a private reception held at the White House with newly elected lawmakers shortly after the election, Bush asked Webb how his son, a Marine lance corporal serving in Iraq, was doing.

Webb responded that he really wanted to see his son brought back home, said a person who heard about the exchange from Webb.

“I didn’t ask you that, I asked how he’s doing,” Bush retorted, according to the source.

Webb confessed that he was so angered by this that he was tempted to slug the commander-in-chief, reported the source, but of course didn’t. It’s safe to say, however, that Bush and Webb won’t be taking any overseas trips together anytime soon.

(emphasis mine)

I am glad Webb didn't slug Bush, but it is good to finally see someone stand up in this way to Bush. Republicans had no problem taking shots at Clinton, one right after the other, but when it comes to Bush, we are supposed to treat him like some delicate little flower? Fuck that. Bush decided he wanted to play big boy and become a President. He decided he wanted the super-sized game of being a war time President. Now he needs to man-up and start facing the criticism he so deserves. Jim Webb has a son serving this country and has a right to ask questions. Bush has daughters who should be serving in Iraq, but instead are out partying and embarrassing us in other countries.

The former head of US Central Command had some great things to tell Tim Russert this morning. Now if anyone will listen it will be a first: (Video and transcript available at Think Progress)

Zinni, who headed the US Central Command from 1997 to 2000, was asked if anyone should lose their job over how Washington has managed its Iraq policy.

"Secretary of defense to begin with," he told NBC's "Meet the Press" program.

"Integrity and getting on with the mission and doing it right is more important than loyalty. Both are great traits, but integrity, honesty and performance and competence have to outweigh, in this business, loyalty," the former Marine Corps general said.

Zinni also had something to say about the claims that the media is exaggerating the stories in Iraq (via Think Progress):

RUSSERT: Do you believe the American media is distorting the news from Iraq or presenting an accurate picture?

The Republicans are pulling a strictly political stunt tonight in order to
try and insult the Democrats. At approximately 7:00 tonight, they will be
holding a vote on a plan to pull troops out of Iraq. The full resolution, which
can be viewed at Raw Story, is very simple compared to that offered by Rep.
Murtha.

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.

This Republican resolution does not call for the phased pull out over six
months nor does it allow for a security force to be stationed in the region
should Iraq need help. Instead, the Republicans are forcing a pure cut and run
resolution vote so that if Democrats vote against it then they can use it is
political ammunition,

It is sad who this has transpired. The Iraq war is a serious debate that
should be taken up by Congress. The Murtha plan was authored by a former marine
with an excellent service record. Furthermore, it was authored only after he
returned from Iraq and saw first hand what was happening there.

Republicans continue to make assertions that the Democrats do not have plans
yet now that a plan is on the table, Republican's answer by this charade. This
resolution will have a limit of one hour of debate. That is all Dennis Hastert
is willing to give to our country, our soldiers and the people of Iraq - one
hour. Dennis Hastert is also a chickenhawk who chose not to put the uniform on
and defend this country but instead wants to attack those who did.