Just last week Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha implied that surrender was a valid option by suggesting that U.S. troops immediately withdraw from Iraq. Now media outlets like the Seattle Times are reporting that Republicans have branded Congressman John Murtha as a coward for couragously voicing his opinion.

The tone only grew angrier the next day on the House floor when freshman Republican Jean Schmidt of Ohio accused Murtha of being a "coward."

Such nuance. What Schmidt actually did was read the letter of a U.S. Marine on the ground in Iraq. The Chicago Tribune reports:

He was asked about comments Friday by freshman Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio), who said on the House floor that a Marine reservist "asked me to send Congressman Murtha a message: that cowards cut and run, Marines never do."

I don't know what your definition of the word 'coward' is, but perhaps it should include someone who suggests a course of action, claims to have the support of the majority of America, and then lacks the courage to support it.

House Republicans on Friday pushed for a vote on a nonbinding resolution to pull out the troops after Murtha's comments. It was rejected 403-3, but Democrats said the quick call for the vote was a political stunt designed to undermine Murtha's comments.

So Democrats are blaming Republicans for putting a Democrat proposal to a vote. What's more, Rep. John "don't call me coward" Murtha voted against it. Supporting the resolution to withdraw from Iraq were Robert Wexler, D-FL, Cynthia McKinney, D-GA, and Jose Serrano, D-NY.