Posted on 06/12/2005 2:40:16 PM PDT by Tumbleweed_Connection
A Republican congressman who voted for the Iraq war said Sunday that "we've done about as much as we can do" in the country and that the reason for invading Iraq has proven false.
Rep. Walter Jones of North Carolina will be among the lawmakers introducing legislation this week calling for a timetable for the withdrawal of American troops in Iraq.
"When I look at the number of men and women who have been killed - it's almost 1,700 now, in addition to close to 12,000 have been severely wounded - and I just feel that the reason of going in for weapons of mass destruction, the ability of the Iraqis to make a nuclear weapon, that's all been proven that it was never there," Jones said on ABC's "This Week."
President Bush has said any timetable for withdrawal would encourage insurgents to wait for the foreign troops to leave, but Jones said he believed Iraqis can defend their own country.
His stance leaves Jones sided with Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, the most prominent Democrat calling for a timetable to leave Iraq. Jones said he had not discussed the issue with Kennedy.
Two years ago, Jones helped lead an effort to make sure Capitol Hill cafeterias retooled their menus to advertise "freedom fries" instead of french fries to protest France's opposition to the war.
Jones said he began changing his mind about the war after attending the funeral in April 2003 for Sgt. Michael Bitz, 31, who was killed in the southern city of Nasiriyah. He recalled that Bitz's widow read the last letter she received from her husband.
"And that really has been on my mind and my heart ever since," he said...
(Excerpt) Read more at ap.washingtontimes.com ...
Is he in a swing district?
"calling for a timetable for withdrawal"
Of course .. why don't we shut down Gitmo, turn all the terrorists loose and tell the terrorists when we're leaving Iraq. Wow!!
HOW IN HELL DID THESE IDIOTS EVER GET ELECTED - THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DEFEND AND PROTECT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES - NOT DEFEND AND PROTECT THE TERRORISTS!!
Yes .. I'm screaming!!! I'm sick of this crap.
"...and that the reason for invading Iraq has proven false."
Makes me ashamed to be in NC.
I don't know but it would be interesting to see how his district polls on this matter.
"And that really has been on my mind and my heart ever since,"
I can appreciate the sentiment.....but....leaving too soon will only mean allowing Iraq to fall to terrorists invading from all sides.
I think I heard this call a couple of times this morning on the talk shows by others... or at least others answering the question of when we might pull out.
Jones was a Democrat for most of his political career. He ran for Congress in 1992 as a Dem, and lost. He saw which way the wind was blowing, so switched parties, and won as a Republican.
I would like to know how Camp Lejune feel about him??
He isn't a Republican now either.
It sounds like his problem is more with himself than with the mission. He should resign.
Here little Muslim. Here little Muslim. Just wait until all the good guys are gone then you and Walter Jones can go in and start killing people again, without any opposition.
President Bush should do a Lincoln and fire this hopeless military leadership from Rumsfeld on down and replace them with leaders who are able to come up with a plan to win this war soon and not cop out about how difficult it is and how long it will take. Patton wouldn't take those excuses.
I say again Over or Out. Get it Over or get us Out. We still have China to worry about.
This is what I'd like to know... why have a military if we aren't willing to risk them giving their lives?
Pulling out too soon undermines the efforts of those who died for the cause.
Is this Jones character another member in good standing of the Jim Jeffords Scarlet Letter Club?
President Bush should do a Lincoln and fire this hopeless military leadership from Rumsfeld on down and replace them with leaders who are able to come up with a plan to win this war soon and not cop out about how difficult it is and how long it will take. Patton wouldn't take those excuses.
I say again Over or Out. Get it Over or get us Out. We still have China to worry about
The resident Bush hater comes out. Using your and Jones's logic there should have never been a D-Day.
Oh BTW what about the warnings the clinton administartion and the UN that saddam had WMD.
BTW, snook a simple question is the world better or worse off now that saddam is out of power.
"We've done about as much as we can do."
I hate to say it (forgive me Lord) but what a fool.
We all want our people home but we clearly are not finished.
What info does he have that proves we've done enough?
"Jones was a Democrat for most of his political career. He ran for Congress in 1992 as a Dem, and lost. He saw which way the wind was blowing, so switched parties, and won as a Republican."
Times are getting tougher. I have a feeling that 2006 may be a difficult election cycle, and the conservative movement is going to find out who its true friends are.
But we may lose a few hangers-on.
What an idiot.
I have to tell you that we live close to Ft Hood. Soldiers coming back from Iraq with the 1st Cavalry are becoming quite vocal about their opposition to the war. Many of those eligible for getting out are doing so. Many in the 4th Infantry will be returning for the second time after just coming back a year ago are also saying the same thing. I have been kind of surprised to see even officers speaking out. My son-in-law will be going in November and the toll it is taking on the families is really bad and I think has something to do with alot of their decisions. I think the prospect of going back every other year for decades is not very appealing any more.
As time goes on, the more i'm inclined to agree with you.
Absolutely.
Thanks.. that is an interesting perspective.
Vietnam redux, which ultimately led to the genocide of 1.5 million innocent Cambodians, when the American lefts allies(jane fonda, john kerry, etc.etc), the khmer rouge, took over Cambodia.
Be more specific. Going back to Iraq? For decades? It hasn't even been half a decade. Sheesh.
His father was a dem, spent his career in the US House. He became a Republican to be more electable because Eastern NC is Helms Country...Big Time!
He obviously is emotionally disturbed and that is affecting his job. He should resign.
Agreed! I've already sent him a fax to let him know how one voter feels!
Lead story on tonight's CBS Evening News (glefully, of course....)
Good for you!
Unfortunately the peeples voted them in.
Congress is a Perfect Example Of Where You Will NOT Find The Best And Brightest Of The USA.
It's been 2 and 1/4 years. The leftist hyperbole nativetxn is spouting is right out of DU.
We spent the first 3 to 4 years of the Civil War pussyfooting around... then General Sherman started burning rebel towns to the ground, and the war quickly came to an end.
Dresden, Hirsoshima...
Wasn't this the guy that came up with "Freedom Fries?"
If I were a Congresscritter, I'd be demanding that Bush win the war, instead of licking the boots of those who fuel the "insurgency."
I know the dems tried this once before - and it didn't work.
And recently .. a couple of the FOX people have openly chastised the talking heads for even suggesting that we TELL THE TERRORIST WHEN WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE.
So .. some of the FOX people get it.
And .. one of the military people who frequents FOX a lot said that because of the current status of the forces in Iraq - we are looking at a rotation out in about 6 months. But .. nothing was said about the size of the rotation in.
FOR DECADES! That is hilarious.
F the world. I'm interested in the USA and the Terror Flag and airport security is not improved here. Bush would be better off if he fired the whole Defense and military leadership who don't have the faintest on how to win and drop that Terror Flag. And that's not hating Bush, that's loving America and not the world.
Why send the military in to fight, then turn around and coddle those who would kill them?
Frankly, I'm sick of politicians sending people to die, then turning around and not letting them do their job/win.
Either fight 100%, or don't fight at all.
The best answer to this is an earlier thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1421421/posts
Quoting:
--Without a hint of irony, Edith Lederer of The Associated Press reported June 3 that "U.N. satellite imagery experts have determined that material that could be used to make biological or chemical weapons and banned long-range missiles has been removed from 109 sites in Iraq."
--We've been told repeatedly by those on the Left -- which includes most journalists -- that Bush Lied! when he gave the danger posed by Saddam's WMD programs as one of the reasons for going to war with Iraq. Did the United Nations lie, too? Is it lying now? When did Karl Rove go to work for Kofi Annan?
End quote.
The reason for going after Saddam was that it was impossible to conduct any war on terror with Saddam still in place. It was impossible to put any pressure on Ryadh with Saddam still in place. It was impossible to put any pressure on Tehran with Saddam still in place. It was impossible to put any pressure on Damascus with Saddam still in place.
And it is necessary to understand that the UN had been bought by Saddam, and it was necessary to remove him to set the UN free of him. He owned them at least three ways; France, Russia, and China (at the least) had signed multi-billion dollar agreements with him which would only be valid if the UN sanctions were removed with Saddam still in power; and we now know that hundreds of millions dollars in secret payments were made to Russia, and millions more to France.
This meant that the Security Council could be managed.
And, the UN oil-for-food scam meant that UN senior management was on the take as well.
While not all of us knew about the second two, which amounted to millions, we absolutely all of us knew about the first, which amounted to hundreds of billions, even if the press has chosen to soft-pedal it. This meant that Saddam was going to emerge from sanctions, with the backing the UN and key world powers.
Sanctions were already unravelling when Bush took office; which meant that from his first day in office Bush had to choose between standing by and watching it happen, or else acting to take him out.
He chose the latter, and I have never doubted that it was the right decision.
And loving saddam, IMO. You know the guy who gave $25,000 so that palestinian kids could blow themselves up along with innocent Israeli's.
I say fire those whining officers if they don't quit.
With all due respect, we won this war incredibly quickly.
How many years did we stay in Germany and Japan after we helped the Allies win that war?
How many years have we been in Bosnia?
The war is over but if we leave before the Iraqi people can govern and defend themselves than our losses have truly been in vain.
Howdy Dane! After going round and round over illegal immigration, we finally find something to agree upon. Wonders never cease!
Talk of pulling the troops out just encourages our enemies.
No kidding. And we are still in Germany.
No real surprise. They creep into every thread and start the usual Bush hatred crap. I bet they couldn't do any better but it is always safe to arm chair quarterback from behind the safety of a keyboard.
If we withdrawl from Iraq it will be seen for waht it is by Al Qaeda: A DEFEAT
If pulling out of Somalia inspired Bin Ladin to pull off 9-11, what would pulling out of Iraq inspire?
if we pull of out Iraq, I can guarantee that we will lose Afghanistan within one year. the tatics uesd to drive America out of Iraq will be used successfully in Afghanistan. American will have lost the war on terror.
For the first time ever a Democracy will have fallen to terrorism. For the first time ever homocide bomers will have successfully wage a victorious campaign against the world's largest military.
Vietnam;s loss inspired the USSR to invade Afghanistan, aid Nicarauga, gave hope to Iran that they could get away with taking hostages.
What will pulling out of Iraq inspire??
I am discouraged that so many Americans cannot see that our actions in Iraq will have profound implications for the next 25 years. They seem to think that a pull out would occur only in a vacuum
I say fire those whining officers if they don't quit
I would take nativetxn's hearsay, with a big grain of salt, espcially with his/her DU talking points.
Dear Congressman Jones,
I'd like to thank you for giving us a timetable for pulling your troops out of Iraq. By setting a timetable for the war to end, rather than actually trying to win it, you have given us renewed hope and the knowledge that the great satan has been beaten by us, and that all we need to do is wait you out.
I can't begin to tell you how we will dance in the streets as we chase you out of the middle east, and we will know that the great satan in nothing more than a paper tiger.
And once you're gone, we will then come to your homes and kill you. And there will be rejoicing in the streets as america comes under the rule of sharia law.
Thanks for all your assistance!
Osama
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