Petition to Rescind Murtha's Navy Award
On March 5, 2009, Congressman John Murtha was awarded the
Department of the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award by the
Secretary of the Navy, Donald C. Winter.
John Murtha deserves no such award. He has routinely and deliberately
undermined the United States Military, slandered servicemen serving in
combat, and caused irreparable damage to our international reputation.
While serving as a Representative from Pennsylvania, Murtha called
Marines from 3d Battalion, 1st Marines "cold blooded killers"
who "murdered innocent civilians."
Before an investigation into the Haditha incident was even conducted,
Murtha went on numerous television news programs and announced that
the Marines "went into houses and killed women and children." He
said, "There's no question in my mind about what happened here. There
was no gunfire, they killed four people in a taxi...24 people were killed."
When asked specifically if he claimed that innocent civilians were
intentionally executed by Marines, he said, "That's exactly what
happened."
Not content to slander those Marines directly involved, he went on to
claim that if these Marines were not punished, "other Marines would say
well I'll do the same thing." Murtha then continued to use this incident to
lobby for the immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq, citing it as
evidence that our military was incapable of winning the war.
Eight Marines were originally charged. As of March 17th, 2009 all charges
were dropped against six Marines, one was found not guilty on all counts
in courts martial. The prosecution has delayed the court martial of the
final defendant indefinitely.
The original allegations of a massacre and the statements of
Congressman Murtha have been thoroughly discredited. Despite the
facts, John Murtha refuses to apologize to those he slandered.
We the undersigned are appalled that the Secretary of the Navy would
bestow the Department's highest award for a non-employee to John
Murtha after his vile and despicable attacks against U.S. servicemen.
This petition is a vehicle to express our bitter disappointment at this
betrayal of our combat veterans. Congressman John Murtha should
apologize for slandering the Marines of 3/1, and for undermining the
efforts of those servicemen and women who fought in Iraq.
If he does not, the Secretary of the Navy should rescind this award as a
sign of his unwavering support for those who served in combat during
Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sign Petition:
www.petitiononline.com/usmc2009/petition.html
