Murtha: Don't Serve
John Murtha's back in the news. A "Nightline" interviewer talked to him last week, for a piece that aired Monday. Murtha, the decorated veteran, said he wouldn't join today's U.S. military. And he agreed to the statement that the average American was justified in declining the chance to serve in the U.S. military.
The news reports make it seem as though Murtha's statement was a reflection only on his opinion of the War in Iraq, which he initially supported but since has turned against. And he talked about his opposition in the interview.
But the questions he was asked, and the answers he gave, about discouraging Americans to volunteer in the military made no explicit reference to Iraq.
Note the reporting, which instantly introduces the element of the Iraq opposition after the controversial quote, establishing a connection which is not there in the source material.
It's rather astonishing to me that such an important figure would be actively discouraging young people from service in the military, which, however you feel about Iraq, has done heroic work that Murtha presumably approves in the past year in Afghanistan, in New Orleans, in Sumatra.
Now, Murtha is fond of the "chickenhawk meme," which says only those who have served or are serving in the military are legitimately entitled to advocate an aggressive U.S. military policy at any time.
So shouldn't he, for the sake of consistency, leave it to the many draft-dodgers of his generation to advocate an aggressive avoidance of military service?
The partisan anti-war hacks fell right in line.
Over at Donklephant, Denise, the outnumbered house conservative asked, "Could someone please explain how a top ranking member on a subcommitte that oversees defense matters can publicly, and unequivocally, denounce joining the military?"
And she was pounced on for it in the comments:
Well, I see it only took three comments for someone to bring out the chickenhawk club and start swinging it. I'm surprised it took that long, actually.
So, let's apply my standard to these reactions: Before you approve something a politician does you like, imagine the same thing being done by a politician you despise (or vice versa).
Let's say that in 1996, some powerful Republican legisltaor -- a Bob Barr or a Trent Lott, say -- had gone on national television and urged the youth of America to eschew military service, after declaring his opposition to Bill Clinton's policies on things like gays in the military and the attack on Serbia.
Would the above commentators have been as rousing in their defense of that politician?
The excuse that he was just answering a question is downright specious. Of course a politician shouldn't answer every question. He has the ability, and the right, to say "no comment." Murtha humself, as the news reports make clear, demurred when asked "whether a lack of combat experience might have affected the decision-making of Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and their former top deputies."
He has said so before, but here, on national television, he swerved from the chance to use the chickenhawk club.
All of which makes me wonder what he said, and how he felt, when he met a few days later with some young people from his district who had made the commitment he was advising all Americans not to make. The story is in his hometown newspaper:
What on earth did the old Congressman say to this bright, idealistic young woman? "You go, girl!" Or, "thou fool."
The last line of the article is this:
The news reports make it seem as though Murtha's statement was a reflection only on his opinion of the War in Iraq, which he initially supported but since has turned against. And he talked about his opposition in the interview.
But the questions he was asked, and the answers he gave, about discouraging Americans to volunteer in the military made no explicit reference to Iraq.
“Would you join (the military) today?,” he was asked in an interview taped on Friday.
“No,” replied Murtha of Pennsylvania, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives subcommittee that oversees defense spending and one of his party’s leading spokesmen on military issues.
“And I think you’re saying the average guy out there who’s considering recruitment is justified in saying ‘I don’t want to serve’,” the interviewer continued.
“Exactly right,” said Murtha, who drew White House ire in November after becoming the first ranking Democrat to push for a pullout of U.S. forces from Iraq as soon as it could be done safely.
Note the reporting, which instantly introduces the element of the Iraq opposition after the controversial quote, establishing a connection which is not there in the source material.
It's rather astonishing to me that such an important figure would be actively discouraging young people from service in the military, which, however you feel about Iraq, has done heroic work that Murtha presumably approves in the past year in Afghanistan, in New Orleans, in Sumatra.
Now, Murtha is fond of the "chickenhawk meme," which says only those who have served or are serving in the military are legitimately entitled to advocate an aggressive U.S. military policy at any time.
So shouldn't he, for the sake of consistency, leave it to the many draft-dodgers of his generation to advocate an aggressive avoidance of military service?
The partisan anti-war hacks fell right in line.
Over at Donklephant, Denise, the outnumbered house conservative asked, "Could someone please explain how a top ranking member on a subcommitte that oversees defense matters can publicly, and unequivocally, denounce joining the military?"
And she was pounced on for it in the comments:
He answered a question with his honest opinion. Why is that a bad thing?
Should he have lied or should he have refused to answer the question?
...
Yeah, this is hardly a damning admission…he was asked a simple question and he answered honestly with very few words. Also, there isn’t any blustery rhetoric here. How is it not responsible to answer a question honestly?
And furthermore, why ask that question? Are you angry with Murtha?
...
I see nothing in his statement that isn’t how he honestly feels. Whats wrong with that?
BTW - how old are you Denise? It might still be possible for you to join.
Well, I see it only took three comments for someone to bring out the chickenhawk club and start swinging it. I'm surprised it took that long, actually.
So, let's apply my standard to these reactions: Before you approve something a politician does you like, imagine the same thing being done by a politician you despise (or vice versa).
Let's say that in 1996, some powerful Republican legisltaor -- a Bob Barr or a Trent Lott, say -- had gone on national television and urged the youth of America to eschew military service, after declaring his opposition to Bill Clinton's policies on things like gays in the military and the attack on Serbia.
Would the above commentators have been as rousing in their defense of that politician?
The excuse that he was just answering a question is downright specious. Of course a politician shouldn't answer every question. He has the ability, and the right, to say "no comment." Murtha humself, as the news reports make clear, demurred when asked "whether a lack of combat experience might have affected the decision-making of Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and their former top deputies."
He has said so before, but here, on national television, he swerved from the chance to use the chickenhawk club.
All of which makes me wonder what he said, and how he felt, when he met a few days later with some young people from his district who had made the commitment he was advising all Americans not to make. The story is in his hometown newspaper:
JOHNSTOWN -They came from everywhere - the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines - as guests of Congressman John Murtha (D-12).
For the 29th year, Murtha hosted an annual holiday party for more than 100 appointees, cadets and midshipmen from the U.S. Navy, Military, Air Force and Merchant Marine Academies at the Holiday Inn in Johnstown Thursday.
One appointee who attended from Somerset County was Billie Debrason, a senior at Windber High School. She was nominated to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Debrason said she became interested in the military when cadets came to visit her school in the 9th or 10th grade.
“I want to be the president some day, and I feel most presidents have a military background. I feel I should give back and give to the country before I govern,” she said.
What on earth did the old Congressman say to this bright, idealistic young woman? "You go, girl!" Or, "thou fool."
The last line of the article is this:
Prior to the reception on Thursday, a Murtha representative said the Congressman had also just completed an interview with ABC's “Nightline.”
