Letter to Murtha

I was not able to write anything new because last night I attended one of the best tributes to some of our fallen heros that I have seen in a while. I know all veterans present last night would like to thank the Brazoria Telephone Company and everyone else involved for the time and effort they put into last nights program. Out of request by a few, I have included my letter to Representative Murtha with regards to his stance on Iraq among other things. It was written back in November of 07, before the troop surge, which led to the decrease in Violence in Iraq over the last few months. I am still waiting on a response.

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Dear Representative Murtha:

I am writing to you because of your stance on the war and your comments and actions, which I feel are detrimental to our country and our war on terrorism. I am not one of your constituents, but I am an American and since your views are shared with all Americans I would like to address several points that support my stance and I hope you will take them to heart.

“The soldiers can’t speak for themselves. …” –ABC News, Nov. 21, 2005

I start with this quote from you. I take offense to this because one, I feel I am intelligent enough to look at facts and make my own decisions and speak my mind freely (1^st amendment), and secondly, you assume all soldiers believe as you do. I assure you, many of us do not.

1. Your support of a bill that would set a timeline for troop withdrawal.

You have supported all bills calling for either a timeline for troop withdrawal and now currently support a bill that provides money only for re-deploying the troops and not the war we are still currently fighting on a daily basis. The first issue I have with these bills (and your support of them) is you should never tell the enemy when you are leaving an active war zone in mass. You, as former military, should know this. According to your 2004 book, you in fact do. Not only does this put these soldiers at more risk while they redeploy, it gives the enemy motivation to hold on just a little longer. Maybe there should be a more defined withdrawal timeline, but that is something that should be discussed as CLASSIFIED information between the administration, congress, and top military commanders. The only purpose for making such a bill public is for popular support for yourself and your political party. Helping yourself get re-elected is not a good reason to make decisions that affect the future of our country. A second issue I have with these bills is that no thought what so ever was put into them, proving once again this is a political stunt. The original bill set a timeline to re-deploy all US troops within a year. This timeline was not even physically possible to achieve. Listening to some military commanders, they thought that a minimum of 23 months would be needed to re-deploy forces. Who did lawmakers consult before they put this timeline together? This does not even include the logistical nightmare such a quick move would create. It is quite ironic that lack of planning was one of your critiques of the current administration. A third issue I have with this bill is that there is a “disclaimer” attached saying that some troops would be left in Iraq for a narrow set of missions to include counter-terrorism, protection of US assets, and the training of Iraqi security forces. This either shows this bill is a political stunt or you truly do not understand the military’s mission in Iraq. Except for civil affair missions, what other missions do we have in Iraq besides the ones listed above. The military’s number 1 priority in Iraq is to train Iraqi Security Forces. These small teams need logistical support to include maintenance, food, fuel, and ammunition. If not living on a US base, they also need additional force protection. There were over 150 externally supported MiTT teams when I left, that is not including internal MiTT teams, which just about every battalion supplied.

2. You do not understand the enemy.

“Well, I say that the fight against Americans began with Abu Ghraib. It began with the invasion of Iraq. That’s when terrorism started.”
(Murtha, Nov. 17, 2005, News Hour with Jim Lehrer)

Statements such as the one above show that you do not understand the enemy we face. Ironically, you use the same argument that terrorists use. It is true that terrorists will take every American mistake such as Abu Ghraib and use it for the justification of their cause. But if it wasn’t for Abu Ghraib or our presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, there would be something else they would use to justify their cause. You must understand that it is not what we do, but who we are and what we stand for that they hate. If we did not intervene in Islamic countries with any means, they would still hate us. They hate the freedom of speech, press, and especially freedom of religion that we profess and threaten to bring into their world. They understand that if we are successful, the people will no longer be afraid of them, and they will lose their power and control. I almost feel foolish countering your statement that terrorism started with our invasion of Iraq as I do not truly think you believe this absurd comment. I will just list a few events.

1979: Hostage situation at the US Embassy in Tehran.

1983: Bombing of US Embassy in Beirut.

1983: Bombing of Marine Barracks in Beirut.

1983: Bombing of US Embassy in Kuwait.

1988: Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103

1998: Terrorist bombs destroy the U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

2000: A terrorist bomb damages the destroyer USS Cole in the port of Aden

2001: World Trade Center Attack

Don’t be upset, you said it. If you did not mean it, then maybe you should take the old kindergarten adage and think before you speak. I am a realist and understand that there will always be groups of people that will want to harm us no matter what we do; therefore, we must do everything possible to protect ourselves and our interests around the world.

4. You do not understand our mission.

As a military we do have a plan and a mission in Iraq. Just because you do not understand it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. I never had my soldiers leave the wire unless we had a mission and purpose for doing so…otherwise someone could be injured or killed and for no reason.

“We cannot win this militarily. Our tactics themselves keep us from winning.”
(Murtha, ABC News, Nov. 21, 2005)

This is not a direct criticism of the administration, or congress, but of the military itself. Not only the military, but of its lower echelons down to the company level and its soldiers since so many missions are bottom driven in this type of war. I would like to know exactly what tactics we are using in Iraq that keep us from winning. Our military missions in Iraq vary from combat operations and training to humanitarian and civil affairs. Not everyone is perfect, but we do conduct all of our missions with the intent to one, be successful, and two, to conduct them while respecting Iraq’s people and their culture. If you have criticisms so detailed as to the tactics we are using, then they could be very useful through our military channels, not television channels.

“When I talk to the troops, I get a different story (than from those who call for continued military involvement). I get a story that we need to have a plan. And from the families, an outpouring from the families.”
(Murtha, ARABWORLDNEWS, Nov. 22, 2005)

Notice first that this comment, as others I have found, is shown in an Arab media outlet. You must be careful what you say as everyone around the world could be listening. Secondly, good or bad, there is a plan in Iraq and the fact that people such as yourself refuse to admit this and tell the American people regularly that there is none, really agitates me. The plan includes a military portion with a priority of training Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police; a political portion run mainly by higher military officials and state department teams, but also involves military units at the town level, and an infrastructure portion run with Army Corps of Engineers and Civil Affairs teams. Some of these may not be going as well as we would hope for, but these are all hard missions, rarely done before in this culture, and I assure you we are doing our best to carry out the plan that exists.

“There is no reason in the world we couldn’t do what we’re doing (in Iraq) from the periphery.”
(Murtha, ARAB WORLD NEWS, Jan 27, 2006)

This again shows ignorance of our mission in Iraq. This statement would be true if our mission was to bomb a terrorist camp every once in a while as we have done in the past. But all of the missions I just previously described require experts on the ground working with Iraqis daily to teach them to run a business, show them new farming techniques and helping with pest control, investigate local towns needs so we provide money for proper projects such as utility improvements and schools and Mosques, and the one I am most familiar with, train local army units to protect their country while still honoring the rights and culture of their people. These missions cannot be completed successfully from the periphery.

“The military had no problem recruiting directly after 9/11 because everyone understood that we had been attacked. But now the military’s ability to attract recruits is being hampered by the prospect of prolonged, extended and repeated deployments; inadequate equipment; shortened home stays; the lack of any connection between Iraq and the brutal attacks of 9/11; and – most importantly – the administration’s constantly changing, undefined, open-ended military mission in Iraq.”
(Murtha, CBS News, Jan 6, 2006)

First, your comment about recruitment is inaccurate, and to me a scare tactic to the American people. The military was meeting their recruitment goals during this time period. You are right, it is hard to recruit people into the military during any time period, but especially during war, but that is because it takes a special person to take on this job, this responsibility. The connection between Iraq and the terrorist attacks of 9/11 were not direct, but Iraq was a Regime that supported terrorist organizations. There have been documented meetings between Al-Qaeda and Iraqi officials in the past, meetings with Taliban officials after 9/11, not to mention that Sadaam in the past has openly given money to families of Hamas suicide bombers; a group on our Country’s list of Terrorist Organizations. Even without any connections to terrorists groups, Sadaam still taught the destruction of Kuwait, Israel, and the infidels of the United States in schools. I know this because I have seen the textbooks in their classrooms. Saying that there was no connection to terror or terror groups is politics and not truth. The Bush administration has changed its strategies at times during this war, but never our mission. Our mission is to get Iraq on its feet so we can bring our soldiers home. No politician, no matter what party, wants anything less.

3. Comments detrimental to our cause.

These comments below are disgraceful coming from any American, but coming from a representative of our government to media outlets during a time of war…….they are close to treasonous.

“This war cannot be won militarily, … cannot be won on the ground.”
(Murtha, The Guardian, Nov. 22, 2005)

“All of Iraq must know Iraq is free — free from United State’s occupation.”
(Murtha, Nov. 2005, Washington Times)

the Army is “broken, worn out” and “living hand to mouth,” Rep. John Murtha told a civic group
(Murtha, Dec. 1, 2005 AP article)

“The Iraqis don’t want us there.”
(Murtha news conference, transcript, Washington Post, Dec. 7, 2005)

“We can’t win this.”
(Rep. John Murtha, Congressional Record, June 15, 2006, p. H4028)

Our country was not founded and built with such a defeatist attitude. I am just grateful that everyone does not breed such desires. These comments honestly make me sick at my stomach and make me wonder how a person such as yourself can represent the great people of this country.

4. The Haditha Incident.

The following comments you made were about several marines who have since been acquitted of any wrong doing. I hope you have apologized to these soldiers and their families, but as I understand, you at least initially, refused to do so. All of these statements were spoken before an official investigation was completed by the military. You pre-maturely judged American soldiers because you felt it would bolster public opinion of your position against the war.

“They [the Marines/Military] knew the day after this happened that it was not as they portrayed it. They knew that they (marines) went into the rooms, they killed the people in the taxi. There was no firing at all. And this comes from the highest authority in the Marine Corps, so there’s no question in my mind,”
(Murtha, May 2006)

Your source in the Marine Corps was identified as Gen. Michael Hagee. Gen Hagee says that he did not provide you with information to this regard.

Murtha said: “I don’t think there would have been an investigation [of the Haditha Marines] if I hadn’t said something.”–John Murtha, Aug. 22, 2006

The military conducts investigations on all incidents in Iraq. My unit even conducted internal investigations on any warning shots fired. Do not believe that you have done your country a service by praising yourself on the news discussing events that are already under investigation.

“… they [Marine] killed innocent civilians in cold blood.”
(Murtha, May 17, 2006 at news conference)

“They actually went into the houses and killed women and children. And there was about twice as many as originally reported by Times.”
(Murtha, Reuters, May 19, 2006)

Before the investigation was complete you were positive that there was a massacre at Haditha. During the following interview you give a Time Magazine article as evidence and proof. Time magazine has since quietly admitted the 2 core pieces of evidence in their report were errors. [LINK to WashingtonTimes] [LINK to Sweetness & Light]

REP. DUNCAN HUNTER, (R) ARMED SERVICES CHAIRMAN: If there were problems in the chain of command, if there was a cover-up, if anything wasn’t reported, let the chips fall where they may. But don’t presume anything. Those reports aren’t finished yet. But the reports and the investigations are being pursued with great integrity.

BLITZER: He was responding in part to you, because you’ve suggested this week that there in effect was a massacre.

MURTHA: Well there was. [a massacre] There’s no question about it. I know, in talking to a number of people, and the information, I’ve never given you bad information yet. I talked to about it, in the context of the fact that these troops are under such tremendous pressure and that’s what happens when they’re under tremendous pressure. When this thing’s all over, you’re going to see exactly what I’ve said to be true. That, there was an IED attack, it killed one marine, and then they overreacted and killed a number of civilians without anybody firing at them. That’s what you’re going to find out.
{snip}

BLITZER: The marines say they’re still investigating. They don’t know what happened yet. The pentagon says the same thing. How do you know what happened?

MURTHA: Wolf, you read the “Time” magazine articles. There are pictures, there are photos. You don’t have to talk to the military about the proof. But you will see when the investigation is done that this was an overreaction by our troops, and this is the type thing that hurts us so badly.

You vastly underestimate our enemy when you take false evidence and use it to harm our cause. What you do not understand is there is an information war going on in Iraq every single day, and the enemy uses false propaganda against us. You don’t understand this because you don’t understand our enemy and you don’t understand the culture of the people in this part of the world. They use pictures of their own torture victims and then send them to the press after one of our attacks (I have seen this happen), and you have fallen for their trap. My unit was once accused of shooting mortars at Sadr’s residence by his aides when they had accidentally dropped a grenade. We did not even have mortars on our base. Every time we captured an insurgent, they would say he is a school teacher and a good man. You must understand this before you make allegations against American soldiers and condemn them before an investigation has even been completed.

6. History of giving up when things are not going as planned.

Comments made after the battle of Mogadishu.

“They’re subdued compared to normal morale of elite forces…”
(Rep. John Murtha on the Conflict in Somalia, NewsMax, September, 1993)

“Representative Murtha, has urged Clinton to withdraw U.S. forces from Somalia”
(Rep. John Murtha on the Conflict in Somalia, Associated Press, September 22, 1993)

“Our welcome has been worn out.”
(Rep. John Murtha on the Conflict in Somalia, The Today Show, September, 1993)

“After 18 U.S. Rangers were killed in the battle of Mogadishu, Murtha visited U.S. forces in Somalia…Afterwards, Murtha said the US had no choice but to pull out completely.”
(Rep. John Murtha on the Conflict in Somalia, Associated Press, September, 1993)

Rep. Murtha, there is a very similar pattern of comments from this military mission as there are in the comments you make about the Iraq War. First, they are taken after a plan has gone wrong and popular support is low. Secondly, your immediate response and only idea to fix the problem is to cut and run. Not only that, but you once again made defeatist comments about troop morale and our ability to accomplish the mission.

5. Decisions based on political gain.

I believe you make decisions based on popular support and not what is best for our country.

“An untimely exit (from Iraq) could rapidly devolve into a civil war, which would leave America’s foreign policy in disarray as countries question not only America’s judgment but its perseverance.”
(From Rep. John Murtha’s 2004 book “From Vietnam to 9/11″…
where Murtha advocates that the U.S. should not pull-out or Iraq prematurely or create a timetable)

In 2004, you wrote the book mentioned above advocating the US be very careful about the decision to pull out of Iraq as it could have implications on the future of our country. Now that things are not going as planned, you advocate pulling out immediately with no regard to how it will affect future generations. Most Americans do not look too far into the future. They look at how decisions will affect them right now; just look at the savings rate (or lack there of) of Americans to prove this point. You, as a representative, a decision maker, must look past the immediate implications of what you do, and see how they will affect the future of our country no matter what the popular opinion is; because unfortunately, most Americans are not capable or willing to do so.

All along, the Democratic Party had assured the American people that they would have managed the war differently and more importantly, better. (I say managed, because almost all of you voted to go to war to include yourself). The only idea I have seen since Democrats took control of congress is to immediately withdrawal troops from Iraq or set a timetable to do so. Not mentioning again the lack of thought put into these ideas, how does immediately withdrawing troops help our ultimate mission in Iraq and how is this better management of the war. It is not managing if you just quit.

All I have seen in this congress is attack after attack of every administration official possible, a budget problem that is not resolved by sending the President a spending Bill that is well above what is asked for, and painful partisan politics. This is unacceptable to me as an American and I challenge you and all members of Congress to work together for the good of the people, and not the good of your careers or political party. You are all very intelligent people, and I know that if you and other members of Congress truly put your minds together, you can develop a plan, or at least develop ideas that will lead to a more successful mission in Iraq so we can properly re-deploy our troops without leaving a mess for future generations to worry about. High School kids can identify problems and criticize; your job is to find solutions. Thank you for your time.