Rep. Murtha and Redeploying the Target

In a November 17th interview with Margaret Warner on PBS's Newshour with Jim Lehrer, Representative John Murtha (Dem-PA) called on the US to "withdraw our troops immediately from that area" and "to return our troops -- I say to redeploy our troops out of Iraq." One of the major reasons he cited was that US troops are seen as "the enemy" and the "target".

REP. JOHN MURTHA: Margaret, let me just tell you this: The time has come when 80 percent of the Iraqi people are saying that they want us out of there, that 45 percent of the Iraqi people say that the United States -- it's justified to kill Americans. So you have a country that wants us out of there, and we've become the enemy. We are the target.

Has Congressman Murtha been following the news? Who is the main target in Iraq? In case he hasn't noticed, Iraqis are the main target.

Some Associated Press accounts:

November 19, 2005:

Bombings kill nearly 50 near Baghdad
BAGHDAD, Iraq — A suicide attacker killed at least 36 people and wounded 50 more in a Shiite funeral procession Saturday north of Baghdad, while a car bomb near a market just outside the capital killed 13 and wounded 21, police said.

September 14, 2005:

Scores die in Baghdad bombing
BAGHDAD, Iraq — At least 73 people were killed and 162 wounded early today after a suicide bomber detonated his vehicle near a group of construction workers in a Shiite district in northern Baghdad, Lt. Col. Moayad Zubair said.

August 18, 2005:

Deadly triple bombing stuns Iraq
The deaths of at least 43 Iraqis in the three linked car bombings yesterday brought an outpouring of grief and anger rarely shown on state television, as broadcasts for the first time focused solely on the violence and call-in shows allowed citizens to voice their sorrow and frustration.

The sequential attacks targeted a police station, then a crowded bus terminal where many Shiite Muslims were gathered and finally a hospital where many of the victims had been taken. Most of the victims were civilians.

June 26, 2005:

Multiple bombing attacks target police in Iraq, leave dozens dead
MOSUL, Iraq — Suicide bombers struck a police headquarters, an army base and a hospital around Mosul today, killing 33 people in a setback to efforts to rebuild the northwestern city's police force that was riven by intimidation from insurgents seven months ago.

Maybe Congressman Murtha should be calling for "redeployment" of Iraqis out of Iraq if he wants to end the violence there. Wake up Congressman Murtha!