Conservative Commentators need to stop using the troops

We saw the speech Congressman Murtha gave when he was addressing this. He didn't just decide to say what he said. The reports all indicated to him our troops were stressed out to the breaking point, and rightly so. All other reports coming out proved this was true and sadly, still is. It was easy to see Murtha's heart was breaking because of this event and evident he understood what would cause the soldiers to freak out. It would be wonderful if everyone else could as well.

While crimes do need to be prosecuted so that justice is delivered, the accused represented as well as the victims, this whole thing was twisted into some kind of political game by some commentators causing false outrage across the blog world. While the accused deserved to have their voices heard and their grievances, one has to wonder if it would had been the same level of outrage had Murtha been a Republican.

The evidence points to the rest of what they have not been outraged over.

At no time did they rant about the conditions at Walter Reed but they did attack the media for reporting on it.

When reports came out that PTSD wounded troops were being redeployed on medications, receiving no therapy at all, they were silent.

When the redeployments themselves were increasing the risk of PTSD by 50% according to the Army, again, there was no outrage.

There was no outrage over the fact Iraq was a decision made on worthless information, billions of tax payer funds were unaccounted for and contractors had received funds while they supplied the troops with contaminated water and shoddy electrical work in their showers along with a very long list of things they did the tax payers had to pay for while the troops lives were being endangered by their actions. Where was all the outrage then? Where is it now?

The troops and veterans suffering wounds born of combat in Afghanistan and Iraq came home to a backlog of claims and staffing shortages but none of the commentators mentioned the fact there were less doctors and nurses working for the VA with two active military campaigns then there were after the Gulf War. They were silent when Bush cut the VA budget at a time when all the funds needed should have been requested as soon as the first set of boots hit the sand. While the Democrats were trying to increase the funding as the minority party, the Republicans took to the microphones in congress saying there wasn't enough money to increase the VA budget using as many excuses as possible to neglect the needs of the wounded. This was happening at the same time they were taking to the airwaves spouting off about the need to support the troops leaving the public perception they were the friends of the troops. The truth was their votes and voices proved the contrary. They were supporting the military contractors and not the military itself.

But the commentators saw raw meet and pounced because Murtha was a Democrat after all. The service he provided the nation with as a decorated Marine no longer mattered. This was all a political game they continued to play as the troops were suffering. Could you imagine what could have been done for the sake of the troops and our veterans had the conservative commentators focused on all that was happening to them instead of pouncing on Murtha? Imagine the outrage their viewers would have had if they had reported on any of the things the Bush administration was doing to them? But no. They just didn't matter to them unless they could be used as part of a political game. To this day, our blood boils when we know the troops are still suffering but the commentators ignore them. Well maybe with the Obama administration in office they will finally begin to address the needs of the troops and our veterans but I doubt it. Obama has increased funding for the VA and the military at the same time he's cutting wasteful spending and no bid contracts but they pounced on the fact Obama wanted to get private insurance companies involved with covering the wounded troops. A topic he dropped when the problem with doing this was pointed out to his administration. He listened but they didn't give him credit at all for anything he was doing to correct the damage done while the Republicans controlled it all.

Politics as always a game but there should be lines that are never crossed. When you have troops, the men and women willing to serve this nation in harms way, the truth should always be reported and the games put to an end. Because of their actions, FOX has shown they don't care about the troops or our veterans unless they can use them.

Appeals Court: Marine can’t sue Murtha
Published: Wednesday, April 15, 2009


By NEDRA PICKLER
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that Rep. John Murtha cannot be sued for accusing U.S. Marines of murdering Iraqi civilians “in cold blood,” remarks that sparked outrage among conservative commentators.

The appeals court in Washington dismissed a defamation lawsuit brought by a Marine who led the squad in the attack. The judges agreed with Murtha that he was immune from the lawsuit because he was acting in his official role as a lawmaker when he made the comments to reporters.

Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich of Meriden, Conn., claimed Murtha damaged his reputation by saying the squad he was leading engaged in “cold-blooded murder and war crimes” in Haditha, Iraq, on Nov. 19, 2005.

At a Capitol Hill news conference in May 2006, Murtha predicted that a Pentagon war crimes investigation would show the Marines killed dozens of innocent Iraqi civilians in Haditha.

Military prosecutors have said two dozen Iraqis, including women and children, were killed in Haditha after one Marine died and two others were wounded by a roadside bomb. Wuterich is charged with voluntary manslaughter and other allegations, the only person still facing charges in the attack.
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Appeals Court: Marine can’t sue Murtha