[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 155 (Tuesday, December 6, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2444-E2445]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    EXPRESSING SENSE OF HOUSE THAT DEPLOYMENT OF FORCES IN IRAQ BE 
                         TERMINATED IMMEDIATELY

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. MARTIN T. MEEHAN

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 18, 2005

  Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, earlier today, in the other body, the junior 
member from Massachusetts delivered compelling remarks about 
Congressman Murtha. I believe that it would be to the benefit of all of 
my colleagues to hear Senator Kerry's comments.

       Yesterday, Jack Murtha, a respected congressman on military 
     matters, and former Marine Drill Sergeant and decorated 
     Vietnam veteran, spoke out on our policy in Iraq. He didn't 
     come to that moment lightly. He spoke his mind and spoke his 
     heart out of love for his country and support for our troops. 
     I am not going to stand for a swift boat attack strategy 
     against Jack Murtha.
       It disgusts me that a bunch of guys who have never put on 
     the uniform of their country venomously turn their guns on a 
     marine who served his country heroically in Vietnam and has 
     been serving heroically in Congress ever since.

[[Page E2445]]

       No matter what J.D. Hayworth says, there is no sterner 
     stuff than the backbone and courage that defines Jack 
     Murtha's character and conscience.
       Dennis Hastert--the Speaker of the House who never served--
     called Jack Murtha a coward and accused him of wanting to cut 
     and run. Well let me tell you, Jack Murtha wasn't a coward 
     when he put himself in harm's way for his country in Vietnam 
     and earned two purple hearts--he was a patriot then, and he 
     is a patriot today. Jack Murtha didn't cut and run when his 
     courage in combat earned him a Bronze Star, and his voice 
     should be heard, not silenced by those who still today cut 
     and run from the truth.
       Just a day after Dick Cheney, who had 5 deferments from 
     Vietnam, accused Democrats of being unpatriotic--the White 
     House accused Jack Murtha of surrendering. Jack Murtha served 
     37 years in the Marine Corps. He doesn't know how to 
     surrender--not to enemy combatants, and not to politicians in 
     Washington who say speaking his conscience is unpatriotic.
       Robert Kennedy once said, `The sharpest criticism often 
     goes hand in hand with the deepest idealism and love of 
     country.' Chuck Hagel showed he hasn't forgotten that when he 
     said, `The Bush administration must understand that each 
     American has a right to question our policies in Iraq and 
     should not be demonized for disagreeing with them.' But too 
     many in the Republican Party forgot that long ago. They 
     forgot that asking tough questions isn't pessimism; it's 
     patriotism.
       We've seen the politics of fear and smear too many times. 
     Whenever challenged, Republican leaders engage in the 
     politics of personal destruction rather than debate the 
     issues. It doesn't matter who you are. When they did it to 
     John McCain, we saw it doesn't matter what political party 
     you're in. When they did it to Max Cleland, we saw it doesn't 
     matter if your service put you in a wheelchair. And when they 
     did it to Jack Murtha yesterday, perhaps the most respected 
     voice on military matters in all of Congress, we saw that 
     this administration will go to any lengths to crush any 
     dissent.
       Once again, they're engaged in the lowest form of smear and 
     fear politics because they're afraid of actually debating a 
     senior congressman who has advised presidents of both parties 
     on how to best defend our country. They're afraid to debate a 
     decorated veteran who lives and breathes the concerns of our 
     troops, not the empty slogans of an Administration that sent 
     our brave troops to war without body armor. They're terrified 
     of actually leveling with the American people about the way 
     they misled America into war, and admitting they have no 
     clear plan to finish the job and get our troops home.

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