Not to level a shot at a Marine war hero, but Rep Murtha's actions, attempting to inject politics into the conduct of a war calls to mind another "War Hero" who returned from another conflict and proceeded to try to undermine a war effort for personal political gain. You know, the last Democrat who ran for President.

Having also spent some time in An Thoi in the late 60s, where the biggest concern was getting cold beer to the beach in drinkable form, I was amazed, during the last presidential campaign, that a Naval officer could get 3 Purple Hearts in what 3 months?

Well, I wasn't up river so, what do I know, but I don't understand the logic that takes a man from personally fighting an enemy determined to control the free will of millions [they were finally called the Viet Cong] to attempting to undermine the efforts of a group of fellow Marines trying to defeat a similar enemy [Islamo-fascisim under the guise of a religious war].

You would think that Murtha, who fought on in Viet Nam, while politicians daily undermined his efforts, would understand that the American military canl actually go out and win a war if given the chance. I guess he's spent too much time with the extreme left of his party.

I imagine that the pressure to conform brought to bear by the present Democratic hierarchy is pretty intense. I'm sure he's been told that if he didn't suddenly oppose the war after he originally supported it [opps, wrong politician], there would be a more "liberal" anti-war Democrat in the race for his party's seat.

But then that's the stuff of "black helicopters" and other kook fringe types who look for conspiracy under every rock.

Unlike then President Johnson, and later Nixon, we now have a President who served in the military during Viet Nam and saw how the constant sniping, picking and demands for timetables by the "liberal" Democrats of the time resulted in thousands of innocent people being slaughtered in the name of a "people's revolution."

What we see now in the middle east is another presumed "popular" revolt, led by a few fascist style leaders who claim to see things in a religious light. The present group of isolationist inteligensia has almost the same love for these guys as the pseudo communists in the 60's had for the North Vietamese. Those people were proved wrong, and a few years down the road, the present crop of isolationists will be proved wrong again.

Back in my Navy days, I used to joke that Marines were handy to have around when the shooting started.

They still are [rest in peace Corey and Rick] but some, who wave their Eagle, Globe and Anchor from the safety of DC, while undermining their Marine "brothers" actions, should take a long hard look back at when they wore the uniform proudly. Doesn't Rep. Murtha remember how tough it was to fight an enemy who believed they could beat him outside the battlefield?

Thank goodness the attitude of most of those who live outside the beltway can see the parallels between 2006 and 1986. And thank God that we still have young men and women who will go and fight to keep fascism overseas.