Who Takes The Fool of the Week?

Though there were many contending for this week's Fool of the Week honor, this is a fairly easy decision. Drum roll, please... Rep. Jack Murtha, D-PA is our winner.

Rep. Murtha, a veteran of two wars and 37 years of service in the U.S. Marines, you remember, is responsible for the end of the year tantrum calling for the immediate withdrawal of our military from Iraq. Later, after this was put to a vote in the House of Representatives, even Murtha did not vote to make it the recommended policy of Congress. Anyhoo, ever since then he has been the darling of the mainstream media and an embarassment for regular people.

Seems at the core of his distress is the real or imagined snub from the White House staff of a letter he sent to President Bush voicing concerns with how this war in Iraq was going. Since the president did not either see the letter or did not respond to it, Murtha had his feelings hurt and took off the gloves. He has been the subject of numerous interviews in print and on the air and runs to the cameras for press conferences at every opportunity.

The most recent example of his mouth running at the expense of our military was on the tv program, "Nightline". I didn't realize this program was still on, but I digress.

Murtha was asked, "Would you join the military today"? Murtha replied, "no". "Let me tell you, war is a nasty business. It sears the soul," he said. Well, that's a real insight, isn't it. How deep.

Yesterday during my channel surfing, I found a news conference with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Peter Pace and the Pentagon press corps. Pace was asked about this and said the following: "It's damaging to morale of the troops who are deployed, and it's damaging to the morale of their families who believe in what they are doing to serve this country". General Pace is a veteran of the Vietnam War and the first war in Iraq. He is the first Marine serving as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He is a no nonsense New Yorker who maintains a professional attitude throughout what is at times completely inane questioning.

Despite the current rash of bed wetting and hand wringing from the moonbats, recruitment goals are again being met and in some cases, such as the Army, exceeding goals. This is good news for our country.

We are at war. This is a world war. Some view the war on terror as World War III. It is ugly and it is hard. All wars are this way. God bless those who put on the uniform and protect our way of life every day, at home and abroad. Our military is all volunteer and the rest of us, even during this time of war, have sacrificed very little. Other than showing support to the troops by sending care packages and cards in the mail, nothing much has been asked of us. No rationing like during World War II, and our dependence on oil from the Middle East continues despite rising prices at the pump.

All veterans of the Armed Forces deserve our thanks. Our love of freedom binds us all together as Americans. When this respect is twisted by bitter politicians for benefit at the ballot box in an upcoming election it is time to demand better behavior. The world is watching. The enemy is watching. The woulda, coulda, shouda conversation is for another day. The matter at hand is victory. Anything less is defeat.


"We either make ourselves happy or miserable. The amount of work is the same". - Carlos Castaneda