Murtha D-Pa Wins Highest Civilian Honor,...From The NAVY!

[twyacht]

Who in their right mind would do such a thing...?

http://www.military.com/news/article/March-2009/murtha-award-sparks-vet-outrage.html

Murtha Award Sparks Vet Outrage
March 26, 2009
Military.com|by Christian Lowe

In one of his last moves before leaving office March 13, then-Navy Secretary Donald Winter quietly awarded 19-term Democratic congressman John Murtha (Pa.) with the service's highest civilian honor.

Citing Murtha's "courageous leadership, vision, and loyalty to the men and women of the Department of the Navy," Winter presented the influential chairman of the House Appropriations Committee's defense panel with the Navy's Distinguished Public Service Award, an honor bestowed in "those extraordinary cases where individuals have demonstrated exceptionally outstanding service of substantial and long term benefit to the Navy, Marine Corps, or the Department of the Navy as a whole," a Murtha release stated.

The award generated little publicity when it was given to Murtha in early March, but as news of the honor trickled out, some veterans groups ignited a firestorm of protest.

Poll: Should the Navy reconsider Murtha’s award

The primary reason for their ire stems from the congressman's statements in May, 2006, that a squad of Marines who responded to an IED ambush and short firefight in Haditha, Iraq, rampaged through the village, murdering civilians "in cold blood."

Murtha made those comments in the heat of the 2006 congressional mid-term election campaign, in a move some political analysts saw as an attempt to stoke the anti-war vote for a Democratic takeover of the House. The former Marine and distinguished Vietnam veteran continued his accusations in follow-up media appearances before an official Pentagon and Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigation had been completed.

When the dust settled more than two years later, six of the eight Marines and Sailors accused of crimes in the Haditha incident had their cases dismissed, one was found not guilty and the last has been continued indefinitely.

The Navy did not respond to a request for comment on the award or the backlash from veterans groups by post time.

Murtha has refused to recant his accusations or apologize to the Marines he accused of war crimes. When asked by Military.com in late 2007 whether he regretted his initial statements and owed the exonerated Marines and Sailor an apology, Murtha refused to comment, saying the cases were still being adjudicated.

Murtha spokesman Matthew Mazonkey did not respond to a request from Military.com for a comment on the award, or the controversy surrounding it among some vet groups.

In a release shortly after the award, Murtha gushed over the prestigious honor.

"I'm proud of the service and sacrifices our troops are making, and I'm honored to receive this distinguished award from the Navy," commented Murtha.  "We have an obligation to ensure that our men and women in uniform have the most modern equipment, effective training, first-class medical care, and family advocacy resources."

But one influential veterans group has reacted strongly against the award, crafting a petition to lobby the Navy to rescind it.

Vets for Freedom, a group that generally supports the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, called Murtha's award "appalling" and his accusations against the Haditha Marines "vile and despicable."

"Congressman John Murtha should apologize for slandering the Marines of [3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment], and for undermining the efforts of those servicemen and women who fought in Iraq," the online petition states. "If he does not, the Secretary of the Navy should rescind this award as a sign of his unwavering support for those who served in combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom."

So far more than 35,000 supporters have signed the online petition.

"It shows a lack of foresight from the Navy to not understand the long term effect of making Marines look like war criminals," said Vets for Freedom president Pete Hegseth, whose organization embraced the petition effort started by VFF Senior Fellow and former Marine Iraq vet Gabe Ledeen.

"I'd be surprised if the Navy stepped back and rescinded the award," Hegseth told Military.com. "But there's a chance they could conduct an internal review to see how it was awarded and why."



To all the Pa. Members on this forum,... What the hell is he still in office for?
This Navy Secretary should be,.........keelhauled for his lack of brains!

(Decorum prohibits me from flooding this thread with profanity worthy of the addage: "Cuss Like a Sailor")

[Timothy]

Tom,

He's no longer the SecNav, he resigned on March 13...

For what it's worth, this guy was NEVER in the Navy let alone the military in any way.  He was an appointed under GWB and in no way represents the feelings of the US Navy and Marine Corps. 

I can cuss like a sailor because I WAS a sailor but this guy and Murtha don't represent what the Navy and Marine Corp stand for, quite the opposite.....

[twyacht]

I got that he "resigned", NOT retired, Resigned is a key word.

WHY?

If GWB appointed him, he screwed up. Plain and simple.

Thank you for your service in the Navy.

 I have a Navy history in my family, and just don't see a correlation between anything this award is supposed to represent and Murtha.

[Timothy]

The SecNav is under the Secretary of Defense.  These folks are appointed politico's who's only interests are their own like all the other sh@theads on the cabinet of the President.  It really doesn't matter which party he belonged to, their isn't much difference any more.  RINO's where in charge at the time.

Their opinion means nothing and if the Admirals in the Pentagon had anything to do with the award, they should be keelhauled.  Being as you make boats for a living, I'm sure you know what that means..

I can't get to worked up about it but my brother, a 24 year Naval Officer might have a few words he could shed.....non of them less colorful than any other sailor I might add....

[fightingquaker13]

Sorry to disagree. Murtha earned his stripes, just like Kerry, he was there and if Kerry wanted to throw his medals over the white house fence, they were his, he earned them, that puts him over W. who couldn't be bothered to show up for NG duty. (this is NOT a slam on the guard just that you should report for duty). Or Dick "5 defferments" Cheney, and this for a war he supported (in theory). If Murtha wants to be anti-war, I for one am not going to say him nay. Its the same thing with Ron Paul and abortion. I'm pro-choice, Paul's pro-life, but he was an OBGYN, and is entitled to his opinion. As far as Haditha, I fail to see where its unpatriotic to simply acknowledge truth that the military, like any large organization, is going to have its bad apples. It is also true that the military, like police forces and the Catholic church under Cardinal Law, does have a tendency to try to sweep scandal under the rug, rather than dealing with it in the open. This practice has screwed over a lot of good soldiers in the past, and we all know thats true. It has also protected some bad ones, and we know thats true as well (my Lai and Abu Gharaid ringing any bells?). All I know is that if ciizens and elected representaives can't critisze the military out of honest conviction, without being accused of being unpatriotic, than this republic is screwed because the idea of accountability is over. Maybe its just that I'm a Libertarian, but my basic response to anyone who says that silence in the face of perceived (rightly or wrongly but honestly believed) wrong doing by those in government service in or out of uniform is somehow a barometer of patriotism are invited to kiss my foot, or a more conveintely located body part.
fightingquaker13

[Sponsor]

[twyacht]

I won't go tit-for-tat on your "Murtha earned his stripes" remark, FQ. Or the other about Kerry.

Murtha's service was NEVER the issue. IT WAS HIS OWN STATEMENTS!

Let's review:

“Our troops have become the enemy. We need to change direction in Iraq.”

 John Murtha quote

He was against the war, against the surge, (which worked), against Haditha and the soldiers who were ACQUITTED.

“We cannot win this militarily. Our tactics themselves keep us from winning,”

 John Murtha quote

Direct disrespectful insult to the soldiers and families who lost loved ones,....

“[Now even the hawks say that Iraq is lost.] The U.S. cannot accomplish anything further in Iraq militarily, ... It is time to bring them home.”

 John Murtha quote

I don't remember any "hawks" saying the war is lost. (Real classy to say it while troops are still on the battlefield).

"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)

Evidently forgot Beirut barracks, the 1993 WTC attack, the USS Cole, (thanks BHO for not trying the mastermind), oh and 9/11.
Train stations in Spain, London, Indonesia,...

"The soldiers can't speak for themselves. We sent them to war and, by God, we're the ones that have to speak out."
(Murtha, ABCnews, Nov. 21, 2005)

Ask a Marine who is on his 2nd or 3rd tour that he signed up for, if he wants Murtha to speak for him.

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

Oh Really?

accused Marines of "cold-blooded murder and war crimes'' during the Haditha incident.

Prior to a court martial. For which they were ACQUITTED.

I don't care about his or Kerry's service. Or that Bush or Cheney didn't serve.

As your post reinforced my point exactly:
quote:
I fail to see where its unpatriotic to simply acknowledge truth that the military, like any large organization, is going to have its bad apples.

BULLSEYE! and Murtha & Kerry were quite the pair. The lessons they learned regarding loyalty and honor failed them miserably as professional politicians.

[tombogan03884]

Murtha is a piece of shit who, probably by accident, did ONE worthy thing during his miserable existence. To award a medal to this slithering shit bird disgraces the Naval Service and cheapens the Awards made to those who actually EARNED it.
Anti war is one thing, This waste of his fathers sperm is a corrupt weasel who when caught on video sang like a canary to save his own miserable hide at the expense of his fellow conspirators, (ABSCAM) TW neglected to mention that all the Marines involved in the Haditha incident have either had charges dropped, been acquitted or found not guilty. This after that scumsucking bottom feeder went on TV and stated that they were all "murderers" and "war criminals" the people who keep returning this piece of shit to office deserve him.

[fightingquaker13]

Murtha is a piece of shit who, probably by accident, did ONE worthy thing during his miserable existence. To award a medal to this slithering shit bird disgraces the Naval Service and cheapens the Awards made to those who actually EARNED it.
Anti war is one thing, This waste of his fathers sperm is a corrupt weasel who when caught on video sang like a canary to save his own miserable hide at the expense of his fellow conspirators, (ABSCAM) TW neglected to mention that all the Marines involved in the Haditha incident have either had charges dropped, been acquitted or found not guilty. This after that scumsucking bottom feeder went on TV and stated that they were all "murderers" and "war criminals" the people who keep returning this piece of shit to office deserve him.

You're right, he should have been in jail for abscam (I'd forgotten about that one, call it old farts`disease, and my apolgies to twyacht for not remembering). Yet and still, he does leave us a quandry, in that he does vote right for our issue and has Pelosi's ear. This is why poitics, not economics is the dismal science. The whore with the heart of gold or the whore who once bought will stay bought? Because the thing is that without NRA backing in his western Pa. district Murtha is toast, and he knows it. The question is, (and I do not presume to offer an answer), do we feel good about ourselves and keep our ethical cherries more or less intact, or get the job done? Me, I'm a guy who assigns Machiavelli's The Prince to every class where its close to relevant and who cut his teeth in South Florida politics (Chicago, Amateur Hour!). You guys can make your own call.
fightingquaker13 who is as about as a good a Quaker as Nixon on these issues

[tombogan03884]

Ask his co conspirators, this waste of oxygen DOESN'T stay bought. I'd rather see an ANTI in that office than "this turd in the gene pool".

[Thanos]

Sorry to disagree. Murtha earned his stripes, just like Kerry,

Hitler earned his stripes too, didn't make him any less of a piece of worthless crap that deserved to get kicked in the nuts by a horse.