Murtha Keeps It Real

Murtha reiterates criticisms of war, call for troop withdrawal

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-...l=all-news-hed
December 12, 2005

By Kimberly Hefling
The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) | -- President Bush is using rhetoric and falsely portraying Iraq as the center of terrorism, instead of offering a plan of substance, U.S. Rep. John Murtha said Monday.

"Iraq is not the center for terrorism. Iraq is the center for insurgency, and there is a big difference," said Murtha, D-Pa.

Murtha said that 7 percent of the insurgents in Iraq have come from other countries and al-Qaida is not focused in Iraq but composed of small cells around the world.

A decorated Vietnam veteran who had initially supported the war in Iraq, Murtha reiterated his stance that U.S. troops should be withdrawn.

"The Iraqis are not against democracy, they are against our occupation," he said.

Last month, Murtha rattled Washington by calling for the withdrawal of troops.

"It's not going to get better with us over there," Murtha said Monday.

Murtha, in town for the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce's annual congressional delegation reception, was coincidentally visiting Philadelphia on Monday at the same time as President Bush.