Murtha is Democrats’ face in Iraq debate

updated 7:54 a.m. ET Feb. 16, 2007

WASHINGTON - Rep. John Murtha is quickly emerging as one of President Bush’s most formidable foes in the Iraq war debate.

Many Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, match Murtha’s fiery opposition to Bush’s policies. But the Marine combat veteran’s prowess on military matters, strong relationships with Republicans and — most important — control of the Pentagon’s spending bills has put him at the forefront of the debate.

The Pennsylvania Democrat is leading the charge among members of his party to end the war by limiting funding. That fight, which will probably be waged next month, is expected to overshadow this week’s battle over a nonbinding resolution opposing Bush’s troop buildup.

Part kindly Irish Catholic grandfather and part political pit bull with two Purple Hearts in his pocket, Murtha seems the Democrats’ best chance of using the budget to curtail the war without appearing to be leaving troops in the lurch.

“Many of the roads (in Congress) lead through Murtha,” said Darrell West, a political science professor at Brown University. “So Bush has to deal with him.”

Murtha retains clout among his Democratic colleagues, especially on defense issues, despite losing a postelection challenge to Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., to become majority leader. Hoyer and Pelosi, D-Calif., have tapped Murtha to address caucus meetings on the issue of the war and used him to assure the more liberal members of their base that Democrats will do everything they can to bring troops home.

So far, Democrats and Republicans alike are listening closely.

“Do most people have enormous respect for Mr. Murtha? Oh, yes,” said Pelosi.

By mid-March, Murtha will offer legislation that he says would set such stringent rules on combat deployments that Bush would have no choice but to begin bringing troops home.

His legislation would dictate how long troops can stay, the equipment they use and whether any money could be spent to expand military operations into Iran. Murtha says few units could meet the high standards he envisions, meaning Bush’s plan to keep some 160,000 troops in Iraq for months on end would be thwarted.

NBC VIDEO Murtha's plan Feb. 15: Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., proposes his own Iraq plan that includes certifying all new troops as "combat ready" before they are deployed. NBC's Mike Viqueira reports. MSNBC

Under his plan, he says, Democrats would be helping and not hurting troops by making sure they have what they need before being thrown into combat.

“This vote will be the most important vote in changing the direction of the war,” Murtha, D-Pa., told an anti-war group in an interview broadcast on the Internet Thursday.

“The president could veto it, but then he wouldn’t have any money,” he later said.

Murtha, 74, joined the Marine Corps during the Korean war and volunteered to return to active duty in Vietnam, where he earned his two Purple Hearts — awards given to troops wounded or killed in action.

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