The swift boating of John Murtha is now going full force as we learn in
today’s Washington Post:
Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.), the former Marine who is an outspoken critic
of the war in Iraq, has become the latest Democrat to have his Vietnam War
decorations questioned.In a tactic reminiscent of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth assault on
Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) during the 2004 presidential campaign, a
conservative Web site yesterday quoted Murtha opponents as questioning the
circumstances surrounding the awarding of his two Purple Hearts.David Thibault, editor in chief of the Cybercast News Service, said the
issue of Murtha’s medals from 1967 is relevant now “because the congressman
has really put himself in the forefront of the antiwar movement.” Thibault
said: “He has been placed by the Democratic Party and antiwar activists as a
spokesman against the war above reproach.”Cindy Abram, a spokeswoman for Murtha, said, “We certainly believe that
the questions being raised are an attempt to distract attention from what’s
happening in Iraq.” As for how Murtha won the Purple Hearts, she said: “We
think the congressman’s record is clear. We have the documentation, the
paperwork that proves that he earned them, and that he is entitled to wear
them proudly.”Cybercast is part of the conservative Media Research Center, run by L.
Brent Bozell III, who accused some in the media of ignoring the Swift Boat
charges, but Thibault said it operates independently. He said the unit,
formerly called the Conservative News Service, averages 110,000 readers,
mainly conservative, and provides material for other Web sites such as
GOPUSA. “We won’t run anything against anybody if we don’t have the goods,”
he said
Article continues
here.
This really makes me sick. John Murtha spent his life defending this nation.
Now he does not earn the right to question the government? I looked up Mr.
Thibault’s biography and there is no mention of him ever putting on the uniform
to serve for his nation.
This is just part of the growing problem. As support for the Iraq war
continues to diminish, the words from the Bush supporters are getting harsher,
including the words from Bush himself. In a speech this past week Bush was
criticizing war critics with some harsh words. He said he wanted a debate on the
Iraq war that “brings credit to our democracy, not comfort to our adversaries”.
Bush’s attempt to discredit war critics there echoed that of the wording in our
Constitution, particularly article 3 section 3:
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War
against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort.
No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two
Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.
Here is some things that gives aid and comfort to our adversaries (the
insurgents); bombing the wrong houses in Iraq, Abu Gharib, foreign contractors
shooting Iraqi citizens. The list goes on.
If we want to talk about our adversaries such as al Qaeda then no more
comfort can be given to them than that which Bush has already done. His
first aide to our adversaries came on September 12, 2001 when he ordered the Bin
Laden family safely removed from the country. I am sure Osama found comfort in
the fact that his relatives were being taken care of. His most recent comfort
from Bush has come in the attack of our civil liberties. Bush said “they
attacked us because of our freedoms”. So what has Bush done? He has worked to
strip away those freedoms. He has violated the law of this land and our
Constitution by eavesdropping on citizens without a court order. Actions like
that help Osama’s side out immensely. Now our freedoms are being stripped
because Osama attacked us. What a victory call for Osama given to him by the
hands of George Bush.
I do agree with Bush. We need a debate on this war and on his presidency. We
need Congress to debate his actions and subpoena people in to testify. We need
to debate the pre-war intelligence, the warrantless wiretapping, the Downing
Street Memos, the lack of armor for our troops, the decisions by the Secretary
of Defense and many more items. This debate must have a strong outcome though.
If Bush is found to have lied to this nation or violated the law then the
outcome is simple – IMPEACHMENT.