Murtha Believes U.S. Generals Fear Bush Administration

Murtha Believes U.S. Generals Fear Bush Administration


JOHNSTOWN -- The current issue of The New Yorker Magazine has an article that in it alleges that many of our military's most senior generals are deeply frustrated by the happenings in Iraq, but won't go public for fear they may jeopardize their career. Congressman John Murtha says he knows about these fears.

The article quotes an unnamed former defense official saying the administration has "so terrified the generals that they know they won't go public." The article goes on to say that legislators were told in meetings with enlisted men, junior officers, and generals that things weren't up to par. But in a teleconference with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, those soldiers kept their criticisms to themselves. Congressman Murtha agrees with these claims.

There's nobody who talks more to the military than I do. I've been doing it for 30 years. They tell me privately how they feel. They're afraid to say something. This administration fired Shinseki and they scare them. But that's not the it should be. Maybe telling them privately and just not speaking publicly as they tell me, says Representative Murtha.