IMPEACH BUSH

LITTLE ROCK - A veterans political action committee called Wednesday for the resignation of Arkansas' Republican Party chairman over a comment he made about the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that has created a firestorm on the Internet.

VoteVets.org, a PAC supported by veterans who are critical of the handling of the war in Iraq, condemned state GOP Chairman Dennis Milligan for his remarks in a recent newspaper interview.

"At the end of the day, I believe fully the president is doing the right thing (in Iraq), and I think all we need is some attacks on American soil like we had on (Sept. 11), and the naysayers will come around very quickly to appreciate not only the commitment for President Bush, but the sacrifice that has been made by men and women to protect this country," Milligan was quoted as saying in the Sunday edition of Arkansas' statewide newspaper.

"Those of us who fought to defend America won't even dignify Milligan's sick suggestion that Americans should die to justify the political argument for George W. Bush's failed policy in Iraq, other than to say he is a sick man and should step down," Iraq War veteran Jon Soltz, chairman and co-founder of VoteVets.org, said in a news release Wednesday.

Liberal bloggers have had a field day with Milligan's comment. A Google search Tuesday turned up about 30 references to it, all critical of Milligan.

"GOP official: We need to be attacked," states a typical headline on the Drudge Retort, a liberal answer to the conservative Drudge Report.

Milligan said his words were misinterpreted.

"The notion that I am calling for more terrorist attacks is nonsensical," Milligan said Wednesday in a statement released by the state GOP.

"I stand behind the President," Milligan said. "Sept. 11 was one of the most horrific, tragic days in our nation's history. No one, Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative, ever wants to live through another Sept. 11. And that is what matters most."

Bill Gwatney, the state Democratic Party chairman, said he found Milligan's remark "totally inappropriate."

Gwatney said the public already appreciates the sacrifices of military men and women, but "President Bush's policies will have to stand for themselves."

He said it was up to the state GOP to determine whether its new chairman remained in office.

Milligan, a Saline County businessman, served as state GOP treasurer before being elected chairman May 19 to succeed state Sen. Gilbert Baker, R-Conway.

Several GOP officials expressed support for Milligan Wednesday.

"Dennis is a new chairman and inexperienced at this point," said Reta Hamilton of Bella Vista, the state party's national committeewoman. "I'm sure he had good intentions with his comment, nothing derogatory either for the veterans or for the country or for President Bush or for anyone else."

"I'm quite sure that if that's what Dennis said, he didn't intend to say that we needed (more terrorist attacks), but that it would suffice, if that happened, to show people that they're wrong about the policy issues that they're pursuing," said state GOP national committeeman Jim Burnett of Clinton. "Of course, the very reason the we're urging the policy stands that we are is precisely to prevent that sort of thing."

Charles Mizander of Benton, a member of the GOP state committee, said he would have chosen different words but that he concurred with what Milligan was trying to say.

He said the veterans group's call for Milligan's resignation was "totally absurd."

Reporter Rob Moritz contributed to this report.