General Pace responds to Murtha's comments, gotta love em

too bad Murtha wasn't there.

Published on January 10, 2006 By ShadowWar In Current Events

The following is a portion of a live news conference by General Peter Pace, USMC, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Jan 5th, 2006. I find his remarks highly entertaining and "energizing". Gotta hand it to him, he said what he meant. And what a lot of us wanted to say.

Q: If I could switch topics, sir, this week Representative John Murtha was asked if he would join the U.S. military today, and he said no. And pressed in that ABC interview -- and I don't know if you saw it or not -- he said -- the interviewer said, "I think you're saying the average guy who's considering recruitment is justified in saying, 'I don't want to serve.'" And he said, "Exactly right." Can get your response to those statements?

GEN. PACE: You know, when I got back yesterday, one of the first questions I was asked was what I thought about that. I had not seen the clip. I did get a chance to see it yesterday.

A large segment of the clip had to do with opinion about the war, and that's not my lane. This country's strength is based on the ability of its citizens and its leadership to have divergent views.

There were two parts in what I saw that went directly to my lane in the road, which is the health of the U.S. military. One was a statement that the U.S. Army is not well trained. The United States Army is well-trained. It is the best trained army in the world. It has never been better-trained, and we will continue to make sure that it stays well- trained.

The second was a quote that you just mentioned. That's damaging to recruiting, 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're doing to serve this country. We have almost 300 million Americans who are being protected by 2.4 (million) volunteer active, Guard and Reserve members. We must recruit to that force. When a respected leader like Mr. Murtha, who has spent 37 extremely honorable years as a Marine, fought in two wars, has served the country extremely well in the Congress of the United States, when a respected individual like that says what he said, and 18- and 19-year-olds look to their leadership to determine how they are expected to act, they can get the wrong message.

Q: Sir, you look and sound a little angry about this. Am I misreading that?

GEN. PACE: I would describe myself as "energized" -- (laughter) -- because we have an all-volunteer, all-recruited United States armed forces. I believe that all young people should have the opportunity to serve their country in whatever way they see fit, and that those who would elect to serve in the armed forces of the United States should be encouraged to do, especially when we're in a war where our enemy has stated intention of destroying our way of life.

Q: So, General, is it irresponsible of the congressman to have made those remarks?

GEN. PACE: I think I've said what I needed to say about that.

I love leaders who say what they mean and say what the little guy could never get away with. I don't thnk he won any points with Murtha for his response. And I don't think he really cares.

Comments

singrdave

on Jan 10, 2006

That's damaging to recruiting, 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're doing to serve this country...
When a respected leader like Mr. Murtha, who has spent 37 extremely honorable years as a Marine, fought in two wars, has served the country extremely well in the Congress of the United States, when a respected individual like that says what he said, and 18- and 19-year-olds look to their leadership to determine how they are expected to act, they can get the wrong message.

Thank you, GEN Pace. Good to see that I'm not the only one who has a problem with Murtha's short-sighted, vindictive, partisan, and totally irresponsible comments.

Dr Guy

on Jan 10, 2006

I dont think he cares what Murtha Thinks. The man has made his mark, and his integrity will stand long after Murtha's has been sold to the highest bidder.

scatter629

on Jan 10, 2006

-well-articulated response from the General. It's really not pitting the backgrounds and integrity of both men against each other, but more about bringing the nature of our armed forces into into a better understanding in the mind of the American public. You're right. It's the right response that's long been delayed.

singrdave

on Jan 10, 2006

I dont think he cares what Murtha Thinks.

I think he does, in the context of how this may affect military recruiting and retention down the road. But Murtha's comments aren't going to stop people from signing up who were going to, just as they aren't going to compel people to join up who wouldn't have before.

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