Predictably, the pro-war right-wing has started piling on in reaction to Rep. Jack Murtha's rather stunning statement that, today, he would not enlist in the military if he were of the age.

One typical remark:

Well, if you had any doubts before… I think we can positivly identify John “Cut-And-Run� Murtha as anti-military....

This particular blog features a kid of an age less than the number of years Murtha actually served in the Marines. Our war-lover continues:

Our drawdown has begun. Maybe he’s just bitter that we’re actually winning? Who knows…

What a disgrace this man has made of himself. He had been an honorably revered man who had served his country for years with distinction. I had no reason to dislike him. But he has thrown those years of service out the window by degrading and demoralizing the very men that he used to call brothers, the Marines, among other armed services. What a disgrace…

We're winning? Geez, that's news! When it's not even safe to leave the hotel to walk through the "green zone" in Baghdad, I wonder at this kid's definition of "winning."

But then he's not one for complex thinking, for he seems unable to separate the mission of this war on Iraq, as set by politicians, and the brave soldiers and Marines who are simply there doing their duty.

It's about choices -- what choices an American citizen makes. I would not recommend anyone enlist in the U.S. military these days, either. Why? Because the military is being used and abused by a president who seems to think the military is there to serve in his Crusade. Our troops are there, under-manned, under-equipped -- I mean, shit, the Marines are in the middle of the desert driving amphibious vehicles instead of proper armor! -- and given an impossible mission of using military tactics to do police work.

More "pearls" of virile posing....

The democracy-hurts-America argument:

Murtha needs to shut his chickensh_t pie-hole. Other's might not want to say that, but this ex-military career man will. There are two ways to undermine our military. 1) Give up secrets, 2) Give in to cowardess.

The I'm-extra-convincing-because-I-use-swear-word-nicknames ethos:

He Must Be Running Out of Ideas…
…on how to provide aid and comfort to an enemy of the United States in times of war.

Or maybe calling for Americans to not join the Army under any circumstances is just Rep. Jack Murthafucker’s latest way of expressing his heroic and deepfelt love of his country.

Yeah, I can see the dancing in the streets of the Sunni areas over a remark made by a congressman of a minority party made on a low-rated network show that airs in the middle of the night.

But hey, don’t you DARE question his patriotism. He’s a WAR HERO, after all (and he’s got the paper cuts to prove it too).

...because no military service actually counts unless you're fighting for Duty, Honor and the Holy Republican Party.

The I-look-down-on-Americans-who-don't-buy-my-dogma superior pose:

What I would like to see in 2006

Howard Dean, John Kerry and John Murtha put in places someway somehow for their negative remarks regarding the Iraq War.

Because we all know: Thou shalt not criticize the Republican Party.

More and more people see the double standards of such leftys as Michael Moore, Barbra Streisand, and Al Frankenstein.

Because the people to hate and fear are the people with no power at all. Because they're the "elite" -- multi-millioinaire showbiz yakker Rush says so -- while George and Dick and Donald and Tom and Jack and Bill and all the boys in power running the most powerful government in the history of the world are really just average joes who really care about the working people, even though their deeds don't show it.

The I'm-being-so-reasonable approach:

I do not discount Representative Murtha's patriotic service to our country. But when a member of the United States Congress makes comments in a televised interview tantamount to telling this nation's young men and women not to volunteer for service in this nation's Armed Forces, then I have a profound problem with Mr. Murtha and regardless of his history of patriotic service. Such service does not confer upon him universally sound judgement, an unerring tenure as an elected public official, or shield him from legitimate criticism.

Perhaps what galls these pro-war folks the most is being informed that the nature of serving the military has changed over the years. When a long-time, multi-decorated veteran makes a statement like this, it behooves us all to ask "why" rather than running to the Lunz/Rove talking points and trying to score politically.

Gilliard asks:

Of course, the chickenhawks are tossing names about. I wonder how many of them have two purple hearts and a bronze star?

I've never served in the military. But then, I'm not pushing to send our bravest into harm's way to fight Bush's Blunder of a War. There's no doubt that our military forces could use some reinvigoration and rethinking in terms of personnel, equipment, procurement -- and how easy it is for presidents to send them into harm's way.

But the people who are breaking the military now, burning out our troops while refusing to equip them properly or re-examine a strategy that calls for taking towns, letting them go and taking them, over and over again -- those same decision-makers are still in charge. Some have been promoted.

And I can say I would never send my child, or anyone else's child, to go join the military with such a reckless fool in charge.

And saying that there are idiots in charge is not anti-military. Of course, that won't stop such idiots from making such claims. After all, as our "wartime president" has said, self-examination is a form of weakness. And accountability is for "pussies."

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