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Wednesday, January 04, 2006

Refuting Murtha

Rep. John "Cut And Run" Murtha recently did a grave disservice to our military by telling America that he, a decorated war veteran, would not sign up to serve in today's armed forces.

So, in response to Murtha's negativity about our military I'd like to point everyone to the results of this Military Times poll. Here are some key results:

1) How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with your job?

Completely satisfied 36%

Somewhat satisfied 49%

Somewhat dissatisfied 12%

Completely dissatisfied 3%

No opinion/no answer 0%

6) Would you recommend a military career to others?

Yes 82%

No 13%

No opinion/no answer 4%

7) If you had a son or daughter who was planning to enter the military, would you support that step or would you suggest a different occupation?

Support that step 73%

Suggest different occupation 23%

No opinion/no answer 4%

8) If you had to decide today, would you re-enlist or -- if an officer -- extend your commitment?

Yes 70%

No 19%

Don't know/no answer 11%


Of course, this poll isn't a definitive look at the opinions of our troops, but when you couple these results with the fact that we've seen fewer desertions during the war in Iraq than before it and the fact that re-enlistment rates are surpassing the military's goals then we see that most of our troops seem very satisfied with their careers.

We can only hope that Murtha's ill-advised words won't dissuade some of America's youth from serving their country. Sadly I think that Murtha's comments, along with overall attitudes from the political left in this country, probably will.

murtha, military times, re-enlistment, military

Comments

Avatar for martinchill

speaking of cut-and-run, haven’t seen you at gather in a couple days.... lol

that you would cite the military times poll as positive is cute.

martinchill on January 4, 2006 at 11:02 am
Avatar for Carrick

Martinchill:

that you would cite the military times poll as positive is cute.

Perhaps you’d care to explain to us why a 75% job-sastifaction number isn’t a positive poll result.

Unless you don’t mind looking like a complete fool, that is.

Carrick on January 4, 2006 at 12:02 pm
Avatar for modern instances

I don’t see any 100%’s in those results.  I guess that means that Murtha isn’t alone.

modern instances on January 4, 2006 at 12:02 pm
Avatar for bullwinkle

No, Murtha isn’t alone. Unfortunately there are more than enough anti-Americans to go around. He is in a very low minority, one that plays partisan politics with the lives of who are protecting them. Human trash, you know, like you. The exact type of low-life that the military doesn’t need, wouldn’t want, who would be a waste of resources to train, and a burden on the real soldiers.

bullwinkle on January 4, 2006 at 01:01 pm
Avatar for martinchill

carrick - no i don’t mind, happens all the time when i’m around republicans.

i didn’t say that 75% is not a positive result.

i said that rob port citing the military times poll as positive was cute.

see, it’s hard not to look foolish with your vision.

speaking of looking like a fool - bullwinkle, congrats, you’ve just called john murtha, an Eagle Scout, human trash.

*chuckle*

martinchill on January 4, 2006 at 01:02 pm
Avatar for modern instances

Unfortunately there are more than enough anti-Americans to go around. He is in a very low minority, one that plays partisan politics with the lives of who are protecting them.

So you’re calling 19% of active military anti-American and human trash?  Must have borrowed your mommy’s balls for that one.

modern instances on January 4, 2006 at 03:02 pm
Avatar for Carrick

Martinchill:

i said that rob port citing the military times poll as positive was cute.

You really are fucking stupid.

Carrick on January 4, 2006 at 05:01 pm
Avatar for WOOF

Answers to last question of the poll is interesting.

Today’s military is stretched too thin to be effective.
Strongly agree
26%

Agree
38%
Disagree
27%

Strongly disagree
3%

WOOF on January 4, 2006 at 06:01 pm
Rob
Rob
19385 comments
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speaking of cut-and-run, haven’t seen you at gather in a couple days…. lol

Sorry Martin, didn’t know you missed me so much.  You and the rest of the moonbats over there didn’t run me off, I’ve just been busy last couple of days.  And cutting/pasting my posts over there is sort of a pain...so I get lazy and don’t do it.

But get your insults ready as I’ve just posted a fresh fulisade of posts.


When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

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Rob on January 4, 2006 at 07:01 pm
Avatar for Carrick

WOOF:

Answers to last question of the poll is interesting.

That would be “Answers to the last question of the poll are interesting.” [Check:  “Answers [...] are interesting."]

I get this wrong pretty frequently myself.  [In addition to dropping important negations, making me a fucking idiot, I suppose.]

And it was an interesting observation.  They are very likely correct.

Carrick on January 4, 2006 at 07:01 pm
Avatar for modern instances

Being a war hero and an eagle scout at one time in your life doesn’t mean that you can’t become human trash later on.

Why do you hate the troops so much?

I don’t need to borrow balls from anyone, I have my own.

Are they the kind that stick on with velcro?  Or strap-ons?
modern instances on January 4, 2006 at 08:01 pm
Avatar for bullwinkle

Being a war hero and an eagle scout at one time in your life doesn’t mean that you can’t become human trash later on. And MI, I don’t need to borrow balls from anyone, I have my own.

bullwinkle on January 4, 2006 at 08:01 pm
Avatar for The Political Teen » Quick hits 1/5

[...] Refuting Murtha With a poll! [...]

Avatar for dd

> as I’ve just posted a fresh fulisade of posts

*yawn*

dd on January 4, 2006 at 09:02 pm
Avatar for Generation Why? - Comments

[...] Thank you, Jason, for posting this article.We cannot file this under “I support the troops, but not the war,” because obviously Murtha no longer supports the troops either. It is so sad to see such a decorated ex-Marine go down the toilet by pulling the flush handle himself.As far as I’m concerned John Murtha just joined the ranks of John Kerry.Old Soldier | Email | Homepage | 01.03.06 - 6:02 pm | # A decorated soldier weighs in on Murtha via the link below with much the same sentiments.Thought you’d find it interesting.http://www.wnd.com/news/ article....RTICLE_ID=47936disunreconnected | Email | Homepage | 01.03.06 - 10:57 pm | # Do you agree with every single war this country has ever fought? Even the stupid ones, like Viet Nam and the Spanish-American war? It’s possible to support the troops--the men and women themselves--without believing in the mission. Look, I love the Beatles, but I just didn’t care for the Let it Be album.Marie Antoinette | Email | Homepage | 01.03.06 - 11:02 pm | # disunreconnected, (love that handle) thanks for the link. What a great letter. Everyone, especially the Democrats should read it.Old Soldier | Email | Homepage | 01.04.06 - 8:33 am | # Marie, even if I don’t agree with a military operation (like Bosnia), I don’t disparage the troops while boots are on the ground. Constant badmouthing of their job does nothing positive for them. The liberals that are using this bogus “I support the troops but not the war” argument are the very same liberals that voted to authorize this war. It’s politicians being politicians. Nothing more. They’d just as soon disband the entire military, or convert it into some big social experiment, than praise our brave men and women for doing their duty… a duty they volunteered to do.Either you support them or you don’t. Hedging is just bullshit.Jason | Email | Homepage | 01.04.06 - 9:42 am | # That WND article was a keeper. Every paragraph is a gem, but especially:"Funny how a man like Murtha – who made his career on detailing his heroism under fire – is the first to chip at away at my generation’s valor.""Stupid" wars Marie? Would you tell the million South Vietnamese who died after Democrats pulled the plug on supporting the S. Vietnamese government after Nixon brought our boys home and turned over the fight to them to just “eat cake?"Mike’s America | Email | Homepage | 01.04.06 - 10:51 am | # Marie, I’m surprised you found your head; obviously it is not the “right” head.So, liberating a nation from a despot bent on genocide is stupid? Denying our espoused enemy training grounds, recruitment pools and financial and logistical support is stupid? Vietnam was stupid? (That was a particularly bad choice since I served in Vietnam.) How about the First and Second World Wars, were they “stupid” as well, or were we justified in participating in those conflicts?”It’s possible to support the troops--the men and women themselves--without believing in the mission. Look, I love the Beatles, but I just didn’t care for the Let it Be album.”Is this kind of like, “Go Braves, I hope you lose the game, ‘cause I hate baseball?” You are trying to claim an attribute (supporting the troops) that you cannot possess if you oppose their mission (the war). That correlation defies logic. If you truly “support the troops” you truly want them to successfully complete their mission, not just come home alive. Believe me, the troops view this, “I support the troops, just not their mission,” as so much BS. They see the hallow claim for the empty rhetoric that it is. Just talk with a real Soldier and ask his/her take on the claim. Wait a minute, I was a real Soldier for 31 years; maybe I can answer the question…Old Soldier | Email | Homepage | 01.04.06 - 12:44 pm | # But come on, John, you’re not a “real” Soldier. I mean afterall, you haven’t formed an antiwar group and admitted to war crimes or called for surrender yet. Until then, you’re just a warmongering neocon who was duped into military service by overzealous recruiters.ps: the Braves’ analogy is the best one I’ve seen on the subject, I’ve been trying to hard to come up with one like that. Great job!Jason | Email | Homepage | 01.04.06 - 12:54 pm | # Where in that reuters article that was linked in the post, does Murtha disparage the /troops themselves/? He says that Bush shouldn’t have launched this war. He says that he himself wouldn’t have signed up to fight this war. He’s not criticising the troops, he’s criticising the administration and its handling of this war. What did you guys think about the recent poll showing that a little over half of our troops support Bush’s Iraq policy? Are you now going to accuse the troops of not supporting the troops?W/ regard to Old Soldier, >Is this kind of like, “Go Braves, I hope you lose the game, ‘cause I hate baseball?” You are trying to claim an attribute (supporting the troops) that you cannot possess if you oppose their mission (the war). That correlation defies logic. If you truly “support the troops” you truly want them to successfully complete their mission, not just come home alive. Nothing would make me happier than a democratic Iraq. We want it to happen, we just don’t think it’s going to.Marie Antoinette | Email | Homepage | 01.04.06 - 3:12 pm | # Great blog, also very interesting commentary. I have to agree with oldsoldier, there is no way to support the soldier without supporting the mission itself. “I support your hunting honey, I just don’t want you to kill any animals”.stickman | Email | Homepage | 01.04.06 - 3:39 pm | # “Where in that reuters article that was linked in the post, does Murtha disparage the /troops themselves/?"When he says that although he served for 37 years, he wouldn’t stand beside current soldiers in service. I take it you think that gives current soldiers a nice warm, fuzzy positive feeling. He also disparaged them a month ago when he claimed they were “Broken” and “worn out"."He says that Bush shouldn’t have launched this war. He says that he himself wouldn’t have signed up to fight this war. He’s not criticising the troops, he’s criticising the administration and its handling of this war."He also voted FOR it. To now be calling it the “wrong” war while troops are on the ground (many on their second and third VOLUNTARY tours), in part, because of his congressional action, is disparaging and sad."What did you guys think about the recent poll showing that a little over half of our troops support Bush’s Iraq policy? Are you now going to accuse the troops of not supporting the troops?"You mean this poll from the Military Times, which “cautioned that its poll, of 1,215 active-duty servicemen, is not necessarily representative of the military as a whole."Yeah, that’s the poll I thought you were referring to. Now… you were saying?"Nothing would make me happier than a democratic Iraq. We want it to happen, we just don’t think it’s going to."So let me get this straight. You want a democratic Iraq, but don’t have faith in our military to help make that happen. And to help achieve the goal you claim would make you “happier” you simply call for our troops to cut and run, thereby guaranteeing that what you’d “like to see” will never happen. Now there’s one helluva plan.Jason | Email | Homepage | 01.04.06 - 4:07 pm | # ”Where in that reuters article that was linked in the post, does Murtha disparage the /troops themselves/?”How about:"Would you join (the military) today?,” he was asked in an interview taped on Friday."No," replied Murtha…"And I think you’re saying the average guy out there who’s considering recruitment is justified in saying ‘I don’t want to serve’,” the interviewer continued."Exactly right,” said Murtha…”Now to an old warhorse like myself, that says Murtha would not stand beside the troops today to engage in their mission (were he able) and anyone who doesn’t want to join up is justified in not doing so. He’s also claimed the services are “broken.” To the troops who actually comprise the services, that means them.As Jason pointed out, Murtha actually voted for the war before he started preaching surrender. He actually voted to fund the war before he said it was a wrong war. Murtha is certainly free to express anything he wants to; but he is not free FROM the consequences of that free speech. That’s something the left has a very difficult time grasping – taking responsibility for actions. I also expect politicians to place the country above the party (both parties). IMHO Murtha has placed the party above the country and I cannot abide that from someone who is supposed to be a “statesman.” Irregardless of his past service in the Corps, as a statesman he has let his country and president down by giving the enemy poster material (just visit al Jezeera).”What did you guys think about the recent poll showing that a little over half of our troops support Bush’s Iraq policy? Are you now going to accuse the troops of not supporting the troops?”Remember, that survey was taken directly after a 3-month blitzkrieg by the MSM and DNC bashing the president on everything imaginable; especially the war. Do you think those negatives have no effect on the troops? As a Vietnam vet I can unequivocally state the negative press definitely has an effect on the troops (and their morale). It was also taken just before the president started firing back with his speeches. Do you think the same results would be repeated today? I certainly think not.Marie, Murtha was plain wrong for what he did, so please stop trying to justify it with weak disjointed arguments.Old Soldier | Email | Homepage | 01.04.06 - 5:58 pm | # I read the poll with disbelief. I do NOT believe it. I am an Army wife of an active duty soldier who served a year in Baghdad (mostly, after kicking Baathist butt from Kuwait up through the southern Iraqi cities). I live on post now. At Ft. Bragg we also lived on post. We are around soldiers 24/7. Our best friends are soldiers and their wives. The vast majority do indeed support Operation Iraqi Freedom and the policy. U.S. Soldiers in Iraq Opting to Re-enlist By the Thousands:http://www.aina.org/news/ 2005122...51225123724.htmRecruiting and reenlistments are up in every branch:http://www.defenselink.mil/relea...51110- 5089.htmlSo why are soldiers reuping in Iraq by the thousands (I personally know many who have, incluidng my husband in Baghdad) if they disapprove of the policy in Iraq?They reenlist for Iraq because they are there, on the ground (unlike Murtha and the politicians) and see the progress. It is so inspiring to them that they reenlisting even though that means more time away from family and country.Amy Proctor | Email | Homepage | 01.04.06 - 8:03 pm | # yes, marie, let’s look at the poll. Oops.Hector | Email | Homepage | 01.05.06 - 1:10 am | # [...]

Generation Why? - Comments on January 4, 2006 at 10:01 pm
Avatar for WOOF

Realized the error(is, are) as soon as I hit the post button.

WOOF on January 5, 2006 at 03:01 am
Rob
Rob
19385 comments
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as I’ve just posted a fresh fulisade of posts

*yawn*

Yes, so boring you’ve clearly read them and taken the time to comment.


When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

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Rob on January 8, 2006 at 09:01 am
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