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GOP Congressman Wants Troops Out of Iraq
Associated Press ^ | June 13, 2005

Posted on 06/13/2005 9:06:36 AM PDT by robowombat

GOP Congressman Wants Troops Out of Iraq Associated Press June 13, 2005

RALEIGH, N.C. - 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.

Jones, whose district includes Camp Lejeune and Cherry Point, has written condolence letters to the families of more than 1,300 service people killed in Iraq, and posters outside his congressional office show the faces of those killed.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections; US: North Carolina; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: iraq; walterjones
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Anyone in Freepland know anything about Con. Jones.
1 posted on 06/13/2005 9:06:36 AM PDT by robowombat
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To: robowombat



Well...I know he is pretty darn near sighted. And now becoming a mouth piece for the morons of this country.


2 posted on 06/13/2005 9:08:17 AM PDT by in hoc signo vinces ("Soylent green is people!")
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To: robowombat

Republican lawmakers urge shift in Iraq plans
Posted by Pikamax
On News/Activism 06/13/2005 12:42:33 AM CDT ·
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1421728/posts

GOP Congressman Wants Iraq Timetable - Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C
Posted by Former Military Chick
On News/Activism 06/12/2005 7:49:17 PM CDT ·
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1421623/posts


3 posted on 06/13/2005 9:10:56 AM PDT by PAR35
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To: robowombat

Well, it's just not going to happen--we're building bases to create a permanent presence there to secure the entire region. All we can do is keep fighting the insurgency. They have to get ahold of those borders though, every nutcase jihadist from the middle east is coming in to kill our troops.


4 posted on 06/13/2005 9:12:11 AM PDT by ktvaughn
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To: robowombat

hell, we all want them out of iraq...we just don't want them out "right now"


5 posted on 06/13/2005 9:17:33 AM PDT by sure_fine (*not one to over kill the thought process*)
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To: robowombat

I know he doesn't understand that a timetable for withdrawal is beyond STUPID.

This guy should be forced to Play Poker with all of his Cards Face up, everyone else gets to hold them and instead of cash the stakes would be his Political future, say chips valued at Day, Week, Month and Year, start him out with 20 years worth of chips.

He would either get smart or be gone in very few hands


6 posted on 06/13/2005 9:17:39 AM PDT by TexasTransplant (NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSET)
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Comment #7 Removed by Moderator

To: robowombat
I'm pretty sure he represents Camp Lejeune. So maybe he's getting pressure from some military families who want their husbands home or at least some type of schedule on what their return home might be. He needs the military vote to get reelected.

Besides, I don't think a timetable is unreasonable. At the very least, it will help with troop morale.
8 posted on 06/13/2005 9:21:31 AM PDT by americaprd
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To: liberty2004

opps, bad formatting, sorry.


9 posted on 06/13/2005 9:21:31 AM PDT by liberty2004
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To: robowombat

"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."

Well, this would mean that Congressman Jones began changing his mind about the war long before it was determined that there were no WMD's in Iraq. We were still taking Baghdad and Tikrit in April 2003 - major combat operations weren't even over at that time.

Something is wrong with this guy. I understand opposing the policy, but to go from "Freedom Fries" one day to siding with Ted Kennedy the next is just bizarre.

Hopefully a more stable Republican will force a primary challenge and beat Jones.

Longbow


10 posted on 06/13/2005 9:21:54 AM PDT by Longbow1969
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To: robowombat
Anyone in Freepland know anything about Con. Jones.

Anyone know what the letter said?

11 posted on 06/13/2005 9:22:23 AM PDT by Gunslingr3
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To: robowombat

The MSM continues beating the drums with the Rat's traitorous talking points: get out of Iraq.


12 posted on 06/13/2005 9:24:07 AM PDT by TheDon (Euthanasia is an atrocity.)
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To: robowombat
Jones is a solid congressman but maybe he's working with too much emotion and not enough thinking here.

War means casualties. Yes, that is a tremendous sacrifice. But you can't lose your head when they inevitably happen.

13 posted on 06/13/2005 9:24:48 AM PDT by JohnnyZ (Defeat Pat DeWine, RINO Mike DeWine's son! Tom Brinkman for Congress http://www.gobrinkman.com/)
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To: ktvaughn
Well, it's just not going to happen--we're building bases to create a permanent presence there to secure the entire region. All we can do is keep fighting the insurgency.

The country was sold on the idea of going to Iraq to eliminate the threat Hussien would develop and share WMD. It wasn't asked about creating a permanent presence there to 'secure the entire region'. In case you forgot, our presence in Saudi Arabia 'to secure the region' is what initiated OBL's war on Americans.

We got tired of fightin 'the good fight' in Vietnam and left, it wasn't the end of the U.S. The 2008 election will be about how to get out of Iraq.

14 posted on 06/13/2005 9:25:42 AM PDT by Gunslingr3
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To: Gunslingr3

You can read portions of the letter here:

http://www.nbc4.tv/news/2063548/detail.html


15 posted on 06/13/2005 9:31:34 AM PDT by americaprd
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To: Gunslingr3
Dear Mom:
This is the largest battle group the US has set up since the Korean War. The only difference is that we have the means of doing much more damage today than we did back then. Honestly, between God, you and I, I would rather go back home with my wife and kids. Janina and all the other wives were able to come out to the beach and stay for three hours the night before we splashed our Assault Amphibious Vehicles out to the ship. ..... That last five minutes was the hardest of my life. We both were full of tears. It was easy for Joshua cause he was asleep at that time. But I am sure that he woke up the next morning wondering where Daddy was. ..... Well Mom, that is enough about me. I love you very much and now your young warrior is to be going now.

Love, your son,
Michael

Bitz, 31, of Ventura, Calif., and Williams, 31, of Yuma, Ariz., were killed March 23 in Nasiriyah by Iraqi soldiers who pretended to surrender, then opened fire when Marines approached.


16 posted on 06/13/2005 9:38:14 AM PDT by GraniteStateConservative (...He had committed no crime against America so I did not bring him here...-- Worst.President.Ever.)
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To: Gunslingr3

So what're we doing with troops in Germany and Japan? We aren't likely to need them any time soon. But the democratization of the Middle East is only beginning, and we should leave as many troops as the Iraqis are comfortable with, right there where we're most likely to need them. Goodness, we have bases all over the world...why not there, in the hottest of hot spots? I assumed that was a big part of the point, myself.


17 posted on 06/13/2005 9:38:59 AM PDT by prion (Yes, as a matter of fact, I AM the spelling police)
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To: robowombat
Negative.

As President Bush has repeatedly said Victory is the timetable.

18 posted on 06/13/2005 9:41:53 AM PDT by No Blue States
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To: No Blue States

Maybe Bush could have added: "Mother's Little Helpers Need Not Apply".
Where did all these "EXPERTS" come from anyway?


19 posted on 06/13/2005 9:48:03 AM PDT by CBart95
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To: CBart95
Where did all these "EXPERTS" come from anyway?

I suspect they came from the left, Republican by label or not.

20 posted on 06/13/2005 9:50:20 AM PDT by No Blue States
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