[PAA-Discuss] A Hometown "No" to Nancy Pelosi's Bid

[Sarah Gonzales]

On May 19, 2006, at 9:06 PM, john perdue wrote:

> I read John Nichols art. in Common Dreams and he reffered to John  
> Murtha as a Democratic congessman from Pennslyvania.  Isn't Murtha  
> a republican, I believe that is why his call for immediate  
> reassignment of the troops in Iraq made such a stir, as well as is  
> respected authority on the military and his honorable service in  
> the military himself.  Murtha is a republican isn't he?

heavens no! Murtha is a long time Democrat, although he certainly  
doesn't hold with our ideals as progressive, etc... He is considered  
to be conservative to moderate on most issues. The big thing with him  
is that in his life as a Congressman, he

1. supported the Vietnam war
2. supported Bush I Gulf war
3. pretty much has supported virtually every military action taken  
since he's been in office
4. he's a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam conflict and a long time  
military man

but... he has come out with fists clenched against the war in Iraq  
which was a shocker based on his history, etc....

Here's his stance on Iraq
http://www.house.gov/murtha/iraq_stance.shtml

Military/defense service

Congressman Murtha is so well-respected for his first-hand knowledge  
of military and defense issues that he has been a trusted adviser to  
presidents of both parties on military and defense issues and is one  
of the most effective advocates for the national defense in the  
country. He is ranking member and former chairman of the Defense  
Appropriations Subcommittee, a Vietnam combat veteran and a retired  
Marine Corps colonel with 37 years of service, a rare combination of  
experience that enables him to understand defense and military  
operations from every perspective.

He learned about military service from the bottom up, beginning as a  
raw recruit when he left Washington and Jefferson College in 1952 to  
join the Marines out of a growing sense of obligation to his country  
during the Korean War. There he earned the American Spirit Honor  
Medal, awarded to fewer than one in 10,000 recruits. He rose through  
the ranks to become a drill instructor at Parris Island and was  
selected for Officer Candidate School at Quantico, Virginia. He then  
was assigned to the Second Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, North  
Carolina. In 1959, Captain Murtha took command of the 34th Special  
Infantry Company, Marine Corps Reserves, in Johnstown. He remained in  
the Reserves after his discharge from active duty until he  
volunteered for Vietnam in 1966-67, receiving the Bronze Star with  
Combat "V", two Purple Hearts and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.  
He remained in the Reserves until his retirement. This first-hand  
knowledge of military and defense issues has made him a trusted  
adviser to presidents of both parties and one of the most effective  
advocates for the national defense in Washington. At the request of  
Presidents and Speakers of the House, he served as chairman of  
delegations monitoring elections in the Philippines, El Salvador,  
Panama and Bosnia.

He was awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal by the Marine  
Corps Commandant when he retired from the Marines.