Brave Murtha

I applaud the courage, patriotism and insight of U.S. Rep. John Murtha. He has elevated the Iraq war debate to a necessary level ("Murtha Wants Troops Pulled Out Now," Nov. 18) and has been, and will be, the object of Republican smear tactics for his bravery.

He loves our servicemen and servicewomen and is truly on their side. He, unlike Bush/Cheney/Hastert et al., knows what our young men and women are experiencing.

I ran against the congressman in the 1990 Democratic primary. I am very glad he won.

KEN BURKLEY
Greensburg

Finally, the truth

God bless John Murtha for telling the emperor he isn't wearing any clothes. What will it take for this president and this Congress to admit this war is a mistake, based on false premises? Let it end now.

Mr. Murtha said it all when he said there are no Democrats or Republicans in Arlington Cemetery. There are just Americans.

JUDY PALASKI
Homer City

Sacrificial soldiers

The major problem with U.S. Rep. John Martha's fervent plea for American troops to pull out of Iraq is that it doesn't provide a "decent interval" between the U.S. bugout and the descent of that hapless country into chaos, theocratic repression and civil war.

In 1969 President Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger knew the Vietnam War was unwinnable, but they hoped, in Mr. Kissinger's words, for a "decent interval" between the American withdrawal and the triumph of the Communists.

Like Nixon, the Bush administration must sacrificially leave American troops in Iraq for several years to obscure the tragic mistake it made in getting America involved in another distant quagmire.

DAVID SOUTHERN
Canonsburg

Shameful attacks

I was appalled but not surprised by the reaction to John Murtha's recommendation that we bring our brave troops home within six months. It is a shame that, rather than confronting issues head on and having honest debates, the Republicans and the White House resort to personal attacks and "patriotic" shows.

Next year, we need to elect leaders who are committed to solving the problems facing this country. We need leaders who have the guts that Rep. Murtha showed to take a stand for what he believes in, even with the onslaught of personal attacks that he knew would come.

The Republican reaction makes me wonder if the Messiah were to come down to Earth, would they denounce him as a "bleeding heart liberal" if he tried to spread a message of peace and love?

MICHAEL PASTERNAK
McCandless