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John Murtha just appeared with Chris Matthews on Hardball, and said so many things that are factually incorrect, reckless and - I'm sorry to say - irresponsible, I hereby refuse to defend the man further. Just because you are a war hero doesn't permanently immunize you from on-target criticism. Just ask Tail Gunner Joe McCarthy.

Among the whoppers Murtha was peddling are that: (1) all Iraqi troops are at the lowest readiness rating; (2) Iraqi troops work only three out of four weeks; (3) there was no terrorism in Iraq before we went in (news to Abu Nidal, who headquartered in Baghdad for years); (4) Iraqis won't tell us where the insurgents are (Pentagon sources say Iraqi cooperation and intelligence given our troops by Iraqi civilians is very good and growing daily); and (5) the tired old argument that we didn't go into Iraq with enough troops to win.

It is a shame to see a man who has been so thoughtful and so honest in the past lose his compass and fall in with the nitwits who dominate his party. With Jack Murtha's turn, the Dems have…who? Offhand, I can't think of a single one who has any credibility left on war and national security. Or much of anything else.

[The anti-Murtha resolution is on hold, the House on recess 'till later tonight when they may take it up again. I'm still hoping for a good old-fashioned punchfest. Once again, one must wonder how much better would we be had dueling not been outlawed.]

topics:
Law, Iraq