The problem with loose cannons is that you never know quite what they’ll run into next: Ex-Marine John Murtha returned from a fact-finding junket to Iraq and conceded that, gosh: That whole failed surge policy thing that I’ve been fulminating against since January (when I haven’t been trying and convicting combat Marines in my own little media star chamber) is actually working. “Hell freezes over,” gloats the Allahpundit at HotAir.
Not everyone will be equally pleased:
(House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi, who is scheduled to speak to a Democratic National Committee event in Virginia on Friday, will surely face tough questions from reporters regarding Murtha’s statement on the surge.
“This could be a real headache for us,” said one top House Democratic aide, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “Pelosi is going to be furious.”
The poor dear.
I ache for her. Really I do.
While Pusillanimous Pelosi could never be considered a nun [heh-heh] she brings nuns-with-rulers- for- rapping-little- fingers to mind. Better watch out, Murtha. She never forgets. And if she wields that ruler hard enough, it can really smart.
Marianne Matthews
The personalities mentioned above and a few other like posts immediately bring to mind Lex’ George Bernard Shaw quote in the margins.
I hope Pelosi’s blood pressure squirts out her ears. As far as Murtha is concerned, his trip to Iraq was a scam to reduce the heat he’s taking locally over his comments about the Marines at Hideitha and about the war in general.
AllahPundit has nearly (but only nearly) as much a gift for words as our humble scribe. And I love this quote best from Murtha’s July interview with CNN:
Not that there wasn’t progress, just that he doesn’t acknowledge it. I wonder if Murtha had ice cream with his pie while he visited the troops in Kuwait on Thanksgiving…
SanFranNan, Harry Kant Reid and the only Former Marine, John Murtha, need to be held accountable for their speech and actions to undermine our efforts.
When our military success is deemed a “problem” for Dems, somebody has to start driving for their removal from office.
First, it was amazing that anyone so at odds with John F Kennedy would ever receive an award from the Kennedy Library & Museum, but now we see that there never was any courage involved.
Murtha, the only known Ex-Marine in existence, should give back the Profiles in Courage award.
Nary a doubt in my military-mind about that.
Providing aid and comfort to the enemy just isn’t as fashionable as it once was.
I just ran across this article. The article claims he’s backing away from his earlier remarks, but I don’t really see it. Not with quotes like “If you put more forces in, things will work out.” Which does sound an awful lot like a surge, doesn’t it?
And yet despite that, he still comes out with “The fact remains that the war in Iraq cannot be won militarily, and that we must begin an orderly redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq as soon as practicable.”
That guy must have some incredible mandibles, to be able to speak from both sides of his mouth at the same time.
Cap’n,
Not that I have a single molecule of respect for the personages mentioned, it sure sounds like a gigantic ‘I told you so!’ is comin’ ’round the bend.
On the other hand, there is that nasty little lawsuit against the ex-Marine by a current Staff Sergeant. One hopes the Blustering Buffoon of Johnstown gets to see his fortune(s) blown away.
Highly doubtful that any Democratic politician will face tough questions from the media. They don’t want to admit to the good news coming from Iraq any more than she does.
Cap’n, et al,
So much for hopeful thinking. Seems the Blustering Buffoon from Johnstown is now rapidly ‘clarifying’ his remarks:
From Memeorandum:
“WASHINGTON (CNN) – Following a headline-grabbing uproar, Rep. John Murtha, D-Pennsylvania, moved swiftly Friday to clarify earlier remarks that seemed to suggest the Iraq surge policy was working.
The surge, he said in a statement, “has created a window of opportunity for the Iraqi government,’’ but so far the Iraqi government has “failed to capitalize on the political and diplomatic steps that the surge was designed to provide.”
“The fact remains that the war in Iraq cannot be won militarily, and that we must begin an orderly redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq as soon as practicable,” said the chair of the House Appropriations Committee’s Defense Subcommittee.”
Methinks someone whispered in his little ear – ‘Get with the program! We’re spinning a political line now!’
or word to that effect.
Murtha’s original statement was ” The surge is working, but only due to the increased troop strength.” Now we have proof that congress doesn’t have a GCT test.
I don’t know what a “GCT” test is but if theycould pass a “GED” test I think we would all be in better shape.
Thanks for the chuckle, Babs.
You can bet that Murtha had carefully weighed the net political points to be gained from such a reversal, regardless of what he saw, and so it is fascinating to see the changing military landscape now begin to shift the political calculus.
Marine RIO
Copy and affirmed.
The GCT test (back in the day) was the General Classification Test. That score combined with the Arithmetic (ahh-rith-met-tick) scores was roughly equal to IQ (ARI+GCT).
Folks in my division averaged about 150, and we were mostly AXs — the kids that were SENSO operators without benefit of computers. Most eventually became Intel officers and AWs , just sayin’.
We used to have service numbers, too.
Marine RIO,
Members of Congress swear an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States. I do believe that, while their right hand is raised, their left hand is behind their back with fingers crossed.
Oh, and for the Captain’s Alma Mater:
GO NAVY!