(CNSNews.com) – Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), who once accused U.S. Marines of killing “innocent” Iraqi civilians “in cold blood,” has received a Distinguished Public Service Award from the U.S. Navy, to the disgust of some Americans.
Murtha, chairman of a House defense appropriations subcommittee, received the award on March 5 from Navy Secretary Donald Winter. The award is the highest form of public service recognition bestowed by the Department of the Navy for a non-employee.
Murtha received the award for his “selfless devotion to the Nation’s sailors and Marines.”
According to the Navy citation, Murtha “ensured” that sailors and Marines “were provided the resources necessary to effectively conduct the global war on terrorism…Congressman Murtha's tireless advocacy helped maintain the Navy and Marine Corps team at the highest levels of combat readiness to meet the challenges of the 21st century.”
Gabe Ledeen, a Marine veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and director of the Vets For Freedom Educational Institute, has posted a “Don’t Honor John Murtha” petition online, saying that Murtha is unworthy of the award. That petition has collected more than 26,000 signatures so far, according to the Web site.
“John Murtha deserves no such award,” the petition says. “He has routinely and deliberately undermined the United States military, slandered servicemen serving in combat, and caused irreparable damage to our international reputation.”
Those putting their names to the petition say they are appalled that the Secretary of the Navy would honor Murtha in such a way – “after his vile and despicable attacks against U.S. servicemen.”
The petition calls on Murtha to “apologize for slandering the Marines…and for undermining the efforts of those servicemen and women who fought in Iraq.” If he doesn’t apologize, the award should be rescinded, the petition says.
Mathew Mazonkey, Murtha’s press secretary, referred CNSNews.com to a press release announcing the award, but did not comment on the petition.
The conflict between Murtha and the Marines started in May 2006, when the Pennsylvania Democrat said Marines from the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines are “cold blooded killers” who “murdered innocent civilians.”
Murtha’s remarks followed a November 2005 incident in Haditha, Iraq, where 24 Iraqi civilians were killed, leading to murder charges against eight Marines.
Murtha talked to several media outlets, including CNN, accusing the Marines of going into houses and killing civilians, even before the accused had their day in court.
Even after all but one of the eight Marines was either acquitted or had the charges against him dropped, Murtha told CNSNews.com at the liberal Center for American Progress on Dec. 10 that he is sticking to his accusations.
When CNSNews.com asked Murtha it was right for him to say that Marines killed innocent people despite the charges being dropped, he responded, “Yes, I think it was. That’s my job.”
This is not the first time that Murtha has been challenged on his accusations stemming from the Haditha incident.
One of the six Marines eventually acquitted is suing Murtha for slander. Justin Sharratt, a 24-year-old Marine Lance Cpl. from Murtha’s Pennsylvania congressional district, filed the lawsuit against Murtha on March 19.
“Murtha did not know what he was talking about and slandered him,” Noah Geary, Sharratt’s attorney was quoted as saying in the Daily American. According to Geary, Murtha’s defamatory statements about Sharratt’s involvement in the Haditha incident led to his client getting an honorable discharge from the service.
See earlier story:
Murtha Maintains He Was Right to Say Marines ‘Killed Innocent Civilians in Cold Blood’