Representative JACK MURTHA

The following has been excerpted from Rep. Murtha's site on www.house.gov:

He has used his position to fight for America's men and women in uniform. He is known for his hands-on approach, visiting personnel on bases and during deployments to hear directly about equipment, training, conditions, accommodations and the services available to them and their families. He regularly visits wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Hospital to learn about the needs of the troops deployed in Iraq and gauge the progress of the war from those who know it best - the troops themselves.
(it would seem that Rep. Murtha is getting his information from someone else other than the troops in the field. Their outlook, overall, is posing a completely different picture of the progress in Iraq. This seems to be more of the attitude of the press and certain other members in Congress)
He works to make sure they have every advantage possible when put in harm's way, including protective equipment and weapon systems that are both reliable and state-of-the-art. He has fought to improve computer security and our ability to respond to biological or chemical weapons. Knowing that quality personnel are our military's backbone, he has aggressively advocated better pay, pensions, health-care and quality-of-life amenities as the keys to keeping well-trained people in the service and keeping morale high.
(please explain how Rep. Murtha is keeping the "morale" high within our armed forces. With derogatory statements he has made of the floor of the House, one would get the impression that he is a defeatist rather than a morale builder. How does cutting and running build the morale of our troops, and will such statements help retain military personel in the service. I think not. )

With all do respect to Rep. Murtha and his brave service to the US in Viet Nam, what it sounds like to me is he wants to repeat what happened in Viet Nam. For the "war" in Nam wasn't lost by the troops in the field. On the contrary, the US didn't loose a battle in Nam. The war was lost in Washington D.C. and on the streets of America. The North Vietnamees themselves admitted that the US was kicking their butts on the battlefield, but admitted, happily, that the war was won on the streets of America and in the halls of Congress. For it was there that the people turned against the troops and assisted in bringing forth the downfall of South Viet Nam. If we "cut and run" we will be doing exactly what the terrorist and other democracy hating countries want. For doing so will open the flood gates for terrorist to take a strong hold in the Middle East. It will be a repeat of what happened in Afghanistan after they ran the Russians out of their country and the Taliban and Al Queda took control.

Mr. Murtha, you have led a long and proud life. You have served our country with honor and respect, but maybe it is time for you to sit down and have a little more faith in you soldiers that you are so "proud" of.