(CNSNews.com) - Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) complains that Republicans are labeling Democrats as traitors "if you stand up and question them" on the Iraq War.

"Enough," Murtha said in a Friday email message written on behalf of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee -- a group that aims to shift control of the House from Republicans to Democrats.

"To all the Republicans who sit in their air-conditioned offices and talk of the courage it takes for them to keep young kids in harm's way -- I say enough. Karl Rove talking about 'cutting and running' while he sits on his big, fat backside, saying 'stay the course.' I say enough! That's not a plan!," Murtha fumed. (He said something similar -- and oft-quoted -- on NBC's Meet the Press last Sundayl)

"We've got to have a new direction, and it's clear we need more Democrats in Congress to get that done," Murtha writes in the DCCC fund-raising pitch.

Murtha insists that the Iraq War is neither a Democratic nor a Republican issue.

"While the Republicans have been busy name calling, the situation in Iraq has only gotten worse," he said. "The insurgency has grown exponentially. IED attacks, where our troops are sitting ducks for an enemy they can't even see, have increased steadily. And the patience of the American people for this flawed policy is running out," Murtha said.

"We need to put an end to these outrageous attacks on people who disagree with Bush and his Rubber Stamp Republican Congress's 'sit and watch' plan for Iraq."

Murtha says the House, with a Democratic majority, "would have an honest debate about the war." (In fact, for the past two days, the Republican-led Senate has been debating -- and rejecting -- Democrat proposals relating to the war.)

Murtha insisted that the majority of Americans do not support the Iraq War; and he accused Republicans of asking no questions and demanding no answers when it comes to U.S. policy on Iraq.

"It's clear we need a Democratic majority to chart a new course," Murtha wrote. He said he doesn't expect every member of Congress to agree with the details of his own troop redeployment plan (he has suggested "redeploying" U.S. troops in Iraq to Okinawa, Japan). "But I did expect them to acknowledge that there is more to be done than sitting and watching."

After making a pitch for contributions, Murtha urged Democrats to join him in fighting against "the Rove Machine's traitor talk."

President Bush has insisted all along that U.S. troops will stay in Iraq until Iraqis can handle their own security.

Speaking on CNN, Vice President Dick Cheney said pulling U.S. troops out now would be "absolutely the worst possible thing we could do at this point" -- because it would "validate and encourage the terrorists by doing exactly what they want us to do, which is to leave."

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