US troop withdrawal?

Murtha says so. Cheney mission related?


Representative Murtha

``The vast majority of American troops will be out of Iraq by the end of this year.''

That's what US Representative John Murtha said in an interview broadcast by CBS's 60 Minutes last night. It was a good segment, with Murtha giving Mike Wallace, steely-eyed, unflinchingly sincere answers to a series of right-wing, swiftboatish questions.

Mike Wallace: How many of your constituents, in Pennsylvania, have been killed in Iraq?

Representative Murtha: Thirteen from my Congressional district.

Wallace: Do the families feel that you are--tough one--do their families feel that you are dishonoring their memories by speaking out against the war that they gave their lives...

Murtha: Well, I hope they understand it--that it is my job, my responsibility to speak out when I disagree with the policy of the president of the United States. All of us want this president to succeed. But you can't just sit back and allow this war to continue on without a clear exit strategy. That's the reason I'm so strong about this...

To a point I am almost 100% behind Murtha. Let's keep it simple and get the US ground troops out of Iraq. Of course, I would depart from a ``strategy'' that stepped up aerial bombardment. And I do question the need for a whole strategy for exit. All that is needed, as Stan Goff said in Orono a couple of months ago, an exit order. President Bush only needs to wield that commander-in-chief authority he is so fond of and sign an order for US forces to get out.

Still, Murtha should be a model for Democrats. But uh ah, not the running-scared Hillary Clinton or Nancy Pelosi. The latter is just wishy-washy, as she can't even budge an inch towards her own constituents clear desire to end funding for the war and impeach Bush.

Meanwhile, what is going on with Dick Cheney's resumed mission to the Middle East? Juan Cole wrote yesterday that ``rumors were flying'' about a deal that would send troops from Arab countries to Iraq.

``This quest is said to underlie the mission of Vice President Richard Bruce Cheney to Egypt and other Arab states beginning Sunday.''

I don't know about this. As Steve Gilliard writes, ``...expecting Arab troops to assist the occupation, well that dog won't hunt.''