Code Pink is a national organization of anti-war protesters. They have demonstrated weekly in front of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., with their signs, chants and props. Walter Reed is the current home of hundreds of wounded soldiers from the war in Iraq. The members of Code Pink hold signs that read, “Maimed for a Lie” and “Enlist here to die for Halliburton.” They have placed mock caskets along the sidewalk leading up to the hospital.

Because Code Pink members protest directly in front of the main entrance, family members and loved ones of the wounded soldiers are subjected to these prop caskets, hate signs and Code Pink members’ taunts. Most of the demonstrations have been held on Friday evenings -- a popular time for the family members of wounded soldiers to visit the hospital.

Code Pink is not your average, everyday collection of “peace activists.” This is, after all, the group that raised over $600,000 last year to aid terrorists in Fallujah. As Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin said at the time, “I don’t know of any other case in history in which the parents of fallen soldiers (like Cindy Sheehan) collected medicines for the families of the ‘other side’.”

For Rep. Murtha to give approval to this organization through the acceptance of their high award and praise, is obscene.

You would think this is enough to turn most Americans' stomachs, but with Rep. Murtha there is still more. There is a scene wholly reminiscent of the lies perpetrated by Sen. John Kerry before a 1971 Senate hearing where he falsely claimed to have proof his fellow soldiers committed atrocities in Vietnam, “…in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Kahn.”

Like Kerry, Murtha indicted, tried and convicted fellow soldiers -- before they even were arrested. During a May 17, 2006, press conference Congressman John Murtha claimed Pentagon sources had briefed him about an incident involving a Marine unit in Haditha, Iraq. Of those Marines he said, "...they killed innocent civilians in cold blood.”

Murtha's 'cold blooded' judgment was spoken prior to investigation, charges or trial – unleashing an uproar both in and out of the military.

Fueling the uproar are two more recent developments: a defamation lawsuit filed against Rep. Murtha by attorneys for one of the Marines (Sgt. Wuterich); and a statement from Murtha's Pentagon source – Gen. Michael Hagee – denying Murtha's claims:

...a spokesman for the Marine Corps said Hagee briefed Murtha on May 24 about Haditha. Murtha had made comments on the case as early as May 17.

Why, you ask, did Murtha go so far out of line in his accusations against these Marines? Why did he lie? He lied because it was politically advantageous to do so. He used the Haditha incident to advance his own political career and his policy of cut ‘n' run.

Why is Murtha without conscience about hanging these Marines out to dry? That is a question that he will have to answer...