I don’t agree with everything Sen Murtha said, and think a withdrawal must be done in concert with a stated strategy, because we’re not talking about ducking our tail between our legs and running, but admitting we accomplished our military objectives (regime change and neutralization of WMD). On the political side the regime change was very poorly planned, so now everyone is hoping the military can make a chicken salad out of chicken crap, and if anyone can do it, it is our military, but even we can’t always turn the tide of history and culture. Saddam is out of power, it would be better if he was dead, but his thugs are dead, captured, or in hiding. That was an achievable military objective, on the other hand making Sunnis, Kurds, and Shi’a love one another and embrace Iraqi nationalism is not a feasible military objective, that is a political and social process that the Iraqis will have to work out on their own, and we may not like the way they work it out. Coming from this perspective, I do think the Senator’s position should be analyzed professionally from a strategic standpoint, not a partisan one.

Yes, he did call for an immediate withdrawal, which I disagree with in principle, but he also made some sound arguments that I posted below. This isn’t a guy who doesn’t care about National Defense or a Chicken Little, rather a Senator, right or wrong, who thinks we’re on the wrong course. The America I fight for embraces this type of debate, that is what democracy is all about, not blindly following an emperior.

Select Murtha comments:
"The future of our country is at risk. It is evident that continued military action in Iraq is not in the best interest of the USA, the Iraqi people or the Persian Gulf Region. General Casey said, “the perception of occupation in Iraq is a major driving force behind the insurgency.”

The threat posed by terrorism is real, but we have other threats that cannot be ignored. We must be prepared to face all threats. The future of our military is at risk. Defense budgets are being cut. Personnel costs are skyrocketing, particularly in health care. Choices will have to be made. We can not allow promises we have made to our military families in terms of service benefits, in terms of their health care, to be negotiated away. Procurement programs that ensure our military dominance cannot be negotiated away. We must be prepared. The war in Iraq has caused huge shortfalls at our bases in the U.S. Much of our ground equipment is worn out and in need of either serious overhaul or replacement.

This is the first prolonged war we have fought with three years of tax cuts, without full mobilization of American industry and without a draft. The burden of this war has not been shared equally; the military and their families are shouldering this burden. Our military has accomplished its mission and done its duty. Our military captured Saddam Hussein, and captured or killed his closest associates. But the war continues to intensify.
Our military has done everything that has been asked of them, the U.S. can not accomplish anything further in Iraq militarily. IT IS TIME TO BRING THEM HOME". END of select quotes.

You asked what I thought, well I think if we’re perceived to have turned tailed and ran like we were perceived to do in Vietnam and Somalia, then as you stated that will embolden all of our enemies, not just the Islamists. Then again I think we either need much more manpower to suppress the insurgency, or we need to rapidly phase our forces out and let the Iraqis come a settlement. Sitting the middle doesn’t work. Also I think we need to launch overt punishing raids into Syria and possibly Iran (if it is proven they’re supporting the insurgents). My proposed strategy for withdrawal is pull out into the desert and provide rapid reaction forces for the Iraqis if needed. First off this gets us out of the populated areas where we are simply pissing off the Iraqis and appear to be conquerors, and second withdrawing will allow the Iraq defense forces to deal with the problem their own way without being impeded by our ROE. If the insurgents/terrorists are dumb enough to mass in an attempt to challenge the Iraqi Defense forces, then our rapid reaction forces could crush them. Of course this all simply rough conjecture and probably full of holes, but should at least be considered as course of action.

Parts of the Senator’s speech that I did agree with were his comments on conducting an expensive war on the cheap by giving our citizens tax cuts! At the same the same time they’re talking about cuts to the DoD budget, especially in the personnel manning and the benefits arena. Our leadership has done a poor job at mobilizing the support of the American people for this war. Support is more than watching Fox news and cheerleading, but making sacrifices like paying war taxes and encouraging kids to join the military. Instead our government leaders reward our folks for doing nothing, which in effect undermines our morality as a nation. While normally not pro-draft, if we have to keep lowering standards to meet recruitment goals, then maybe we do need it. Maybe some kids with silver spoons in their mouths needs to feel what it is like to wear body armor all day in 110 degree weather. We’re fighting a war, or we’re not, and I think right now the nation is getting mixed messages.