Murtha makes some sane statements

While Murtha still sticks to his pre-judgement of the marines at Haditha, during his appearance on Hannity and Colmes he seems to have had at least some partially lucid moments. He at least places the war in Iraq in the same context of WWII according to a NewsMax summary of the conversation:

Asked how the U.S. military could possibly be engaged in "purposely, indiscriminately killing innocent civilians," Murtha invoked U.S. air raids on Hitler's Germany and Tojo's Japan.

"In World War II we dropped bombs on all these different countries," he told Colmes. "We killed civilians. In wartime – this is wartime. You're not sitting in an office back here. This is wartime."

So basically if Murtha puts this into the category of other wars like WWII, it takes away the ridiculous notion that Iraq presents unique issues that drive soldiers to do these things on the battlefield. In all wars we have pockets of soldiers that for whatever reason choose to do these despicable things. I would point out that soldiers from all countries do them. The question becomes what is condoned by the country these soldiers represent and what is dealt with and how. The answer to that is what reflects on the nation and command, not the actions themselves. I am quite sure that the presidents of WWII, Vietnam and now Iraq did not authorize or encourage any such acts taken. When liberals attempt to proclaim that Bush encourages or authorizes these actions or even the actions at Abu Graibh, it is politics pure and simple.

Murtha speaks in the same interview on the subject of impeachment. Read carefully:

Separately, Murtha said that some of his fellow Democrats were wrong to press for President Bush's impeachment.

"I don't think what he did was impeachable," he told Colmes.

"I think what he did was a misjudgment, a mischaracterization, a misrepresentation" of intelligence leading up to the Iraq war, the Pennsylvania Democrat explained. But certainly, at this stage, I couldn't say that it's impeachable."

A few things here. First, it is interesting that Murtha seems to be giving Bush more a benefit of the doubt as those marines at Haditha. Anyway, here is where we will see if Murtha is straight up or playing politics. Now that these statements are on record, any future pursuit of impeachment on his part will reveal Murtha's true colors. The fact is there is a lot to be known about Bush's actions leading up to war. I would doubt that investigation would reveal much more than is already known. So from what Murtha now knows, he claims here that Bush's actions are not impeachable. I think Murtha has really stepped in it here. If he is straight up, he just ticked off the hoards of the fringe left that have been worshipping at his feet for months now. If he later gets aggressive about impeachment, then he would reveal himself to all as a politician playing games this whole time.