This morning, Rep. Murtha was on Meet the Press and did an excellent job at
keeping the support for his resolution up. Russert questioned him on what the
other Republicans have said and he was good at steering clear of making it a
political showdown. Even when Russert asked Murtha about Bush lying the country
into war, Murtha responded in the most diplomatic of ways. He said he don’t
believe Bush lied or any other President would lie in order to get the country
into war.

One of the most compelling items Murtha brought up, which was one I had not
heard yet, was that he consulted with other military leaders on his resolution.
It is not just the plan of a single Congressman, but a plan of former military
personnel. That makes the attacks against Murtha even more distasteful. Perhaps
that was Murtha’s ace in the hole. Let the Republicans shoot themselves in the
foot attacking Murtha only to find out other Military leaders helped draft the
plan.

Murtha did say he predicts we will withdrawal over the next year and that
withdrawal will be very close to his plan. When Russert asked him if we would be
out by next years election Murtha replied “you hit the nail on the head”.

That part really has me thinking even more now. If the Pentagon is planning
on us being out by November 2006, then it this duration of deployment has been
nothing more than a political stunt. The leaders of this country have been
playing with the lives of our soldiers and the readiness of our security in
order to gain votes at the poll. That in its self is the most disgusting act of
a democracy the world has ever known. Votes over lives. Votes over national
security. Votes over economic stability.

The biggest indicator of that being true will be the coverage of our
withdrawal. If Bush stages another big stunt like his aircraft carrier landing
then you can be 100% certain that the last part of this war has been for purely
political gains.

This also reaffirms that Murtha possibly stole the thunder of the Bush
administration when he released this plan on Thursday, when General Casey had
one released on Friday. The most ironic part is that the Casey plan was not
released until late Friday night when the House was in session to vote on the
troop withdrawal.

In a week of thanks, we can be thankful for having a person like Rep. Murtha
who stood up and offered a plan this week. Sadly though that thanks will be
overshadowed by knowing we have a leader who cares more about his political life
and that of his party more so than the lives of our soldiers. The Democrats need
to make sure Americans know that is the level Bush will sink to and that can be
his legacy.