Steve Beren on The Murtha and McDermott Show

Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA), one of the most liberal and antiwar Democrats in Washington (he's featured in Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11, after all), is hosting the morning talk radio program on Seattle's KIRO 710-AM every day this week from 900AM to 1200Noon (Pacific Time).  This morning his guest was evacuate-Iraq-now Congressman Jack Murtha (D-PA). I listened and took notes, from which I fashioned the following commentary.

Murtha had absolutely nothing to say about the benefits of toppling Saddam and nothing about the formation of an elected, representative government.  He contended that Saddam had no WMDs, that "Abu Ghraib was the biggest disgrace we've ever faced in the military", that "we're recruiting terrorists", and that "it's a civil war."  At one point he even compared American power to empire, saying that staying the course is "just like England want[ing] to hold on to India."  (btw, All Things Beautiful blogs this very morning with more of the lowdown on Murtha.)

As for the potentially politically damaging incident of the killings of civilians in Haditha, Murtha is doing the best he can to make those killings into another excuse for the US to withdraw as soon as possible -- even though the killings occured more than 6 months ago, and even though no criminal incident on a similar scale has been reported since.  Murtha's plan now is "to redeploy to the periphery [and] work at it diplomatically."   He did not, however, define what "it" is that he wants to work at diplomatically: combatting al-Qaeda in Iraq? killing or apprehending Al-Zarqawi? training a standing Iraqi army?

Even President Clinton in 1998 made a better case for what "it" is, and foresaw that lamentable tragedies may occur:

   The credible threat to use force, and when necessary, the actual use of force, is the surest way to contain Saddam's weapons of mass destruction program, curtail his aggression and prevent another Gulf War.

   The best way to end that threat once and for all is with a new Iraqi government -- a government ready to live in peace with its neighbors, a government that respects the rights of its people. Bringing change in Baghdad will take time and effort. We will strengthen our engagement with the full range of Iraqi opposition forces and work with them effectively and prudently.

   The decision to use force is never cost-free.  Whenever American forces are placed in harm's way, we risk the loss of life.  And while our strikes are focused on Iraq's military capabilities, there will be unintended Iraqi casualties.

The Haditha killings are just such unintended casualties.  It may be that they are deliberate killings by individual marines, but they are unintended in terms of our governmental and military policy.  In his "rush to judgment" Murtha was not concerned about making this distinction.  It's an essential and morally clear distinction to make -- essential when civilian deaths in Iraq overwhelmingly are the consequences of a jihadist suicide death-cult and not of any Western army's policy.  Rather, Murtha laid blame for the Haditha killings on "the pressure that's put on these guys" (another "root causes"-approach to crime).  He tried to put the whole war effort on an airwave-born show trial instead of prudently leaving the Haditha investigation within its proper military jurisdiction and away from such grandstanding.

The only relief to "The Murtha and McDermott Show" came from my friend Steve Beren, the GOP's dedicated opponent facing McDermott in this year's election.  Without Murtha's huff-and-puff or McDermott's polished folksiness, Steve coolly affirmed (before he was cut off) that we were right to go into Iraq, and that:

We can only lose [the Iraq war] in Washington, DC. We can only lose it politically.

It was a refreshing break, to say the least.

A few words on Steve.  As a former anti-American Leftist -- now Republican and Christian -- he knows all too well the dangerous path down which the McDermotts of Congress are trying to lead this country.  He understands them better than they understand themselves, I dare say. He also deeply cherishes the freedoms and values on which the country was founded and which it must preserve in order to endure. Please go to Steve's web site, http://www.BerenforCongress.com, and read all about his long political journey from alienation to redemption to leadership. And make a contribution to Beren for Congress to send Steve to Washington and send McDermott packing.

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.........................Steve Beren, looking out from and for Seattle
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Since McDermott is hosting that morning talk show all week, there is now also an opportunity for supporters of the Iraq effort and of GWOI* to put him on the spot.  Are you game to press "Baghdad Jim" for impersonating a Congressional human shield by personally visiting Iraq in 2002 to urge further inspections and other stalling? Or for characterizing America's liberation from Saddam's tyranny as occupation?  Just register free and easy at KIRO online in order to listen to the broadcast, then you'll be able to call in at (877)710-KIRO (pronounced just as you would "Cairo"). Don't forget to tell him you're calling in support of Beren for Congress.

*: GWOI - Global War on Islamofascism (i.e., jihad, sharia law)

Comments

[Janjan]

Murtha's actions have and will continue to endanger American lives. Will he take resposibility when the "Moslem Street" riots and starts burning our foriegn outposts? Somehow I doubt it.

[Freedom Now]

It is these types of activists that are so quick to accuse Bush of taking advantage of 9/11 for political gain.

Since they are experts at twisting facts to suit their agenda they are merely seeing a reflection of themselves.

The defeat of the terrorists in Iraq would be a logical desire of any person who sincerely wishes the best for all humanity.

Enough political intrigue, we have a country to rebuild and Iraq needs us...

[JMK]

With Murtha's pertinent resume (USMC, Congress) being so vehemently "antiwar" for him would mean to be either entirely in the money -- or entirely in the wrong. From what I can tell, he relies on cliches, insinuations, and borrowed terminology when criticizing what's going on in Iraq. Patriotic Democrats should be shunning him. I look forward to learning more about him in detail.

[Ralp Zig Tyko]

You decribe Steve, a coverted Jewboy, as a "Christian Rebublican" [that translates to goyasha kupf]...makes him a good candidate to lead the Crusade in Iraq...After all, aside the oil and daddy Bush's personal agenda, that's why we're there-to 'Christianize' the Muslems and humor the right winged coo- coos...Centuries of lives lost in the name of 'my god is better than your god'...Stomach turning.

[JMK]

Beren may have been raised Jewish or may have Jewish parents (he's never states such, as far as I know). But I suspect your issue is that he's chosen a faith - any faith - and at the same time has declared Republican allegiance.

Iraq is being liberated not crusaded against.

Christian Iraqis have been dispossessed by their Muslim compatriots, just as Christians are routinely persecuted in countries under Islamic rule. Jews have been driven from other Muslim lands nearly to the last man and woman, so Christianity in Muslim countries is the cutting-edge test of whatever respect for minority rights they may exhibit. (Iran has other distinct religious minorities, like Bahai and Zoroastrians, too.)

What's occurring is, first, a civil war within Islam -- in which Christians and Jews have a clear stake in one side. It's the same G-d; however, among the worldy civilizations and nations that have been made in their image, the Christian and Jewish nations are profoundly better.

[Ralph Zig Tyko]

Liberate? Come on, Jeremiah. Who's been liberated. The fire is defeating the frying pan for these people, united only in their hatred for Amerika...Even such conservatives as William F. Buckley[ the pompus third] have stated that this war is a disaster.

[JMK]

Airman Tyko, you are blessed to have never lived under a murderous dictatorial regime, so I understand you may not appreciate what it means to be liberated as the the Iraqis have been liberated from a generation of Saddam's rule. Problems do not equal disaster, as much as Democrats passionately would like the American effort to fail.

[Ralph Zig Tyko]

as you know, i was awarded my third stripe[i enjoyed the ranking of a buck-seargent in my beloved u.s.a.f]shortly before seperating from active duty. you may call me sargre, if you must...what you don't know about me was my penchant for a straight 'gig-line' and a salute that one general[motolotz] called "snappy"...more military tales another time. over.