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 ...
"I have noticed that lately most of the fighting and suicide bombings have been done to Iraqis, more than American troops..
The news seems to imply that it is insurgents against the Shiites, or Sunnis against Shiites...which go me means that the Iraqis will start fighting more, and having to rely on the Americans less... "
Recently they have been targetting American troops and Iraqi troops. It could be because we are on the offensive.
Seems that Mr. Jones "forgot"!
Oh for the good old days of WWII when the enemy was in uniform, and on the battlefield. That part of the Iraq War was over rather quickly.
BTW, thanks for your service!
You admire this jerk?
Of course. I was thinking that we could not have debate in this country without encouraging our enemy.
However, withdrawal, in Somalia or Lebanon, only embolden our Islamic enemy.
actually nothing youve said refutes my claim that a withdrawl and loss will encourage and embolden our enemies
That's what's happening, but you would rather believe the islamofascist sycophantic press.
About 22,000 will be murdered on American streets this year. Is it worth it, Representative Jones? Maybe we should withdraw the police and let the citizens of the inter cities take care of it? As I have said many times before on FR, CONGRESS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED! We need representatives who understand we are at war with religious fanatics and are being invaded by our southern neighbors, and whose knees are not filled with jelly.
Probably not much since the Marines are doing the wonderful job they are.
Exactly! I'm not real happy about still being there, but instead of 'losing' like we did in Viet Nam, let's get it over with. IF the Congresscritters would stay out of it and let the military do what they do best, the war would be over by now. There's too much PC crap, and it's making winning impossible. That said, the very first thing they need to do is boot the media out of Iraq. Reporting with a slanted, liberal view causes most of the problems, because it inflames citizens, Congresscritters, and it encourages the terrorists. A steady diet of death and dying is hard on everyone except the terrorists.
we can't win this phase of the war, only the iraqi forces can root it out - street by street, house by house. and so far, their forces have not shown they are up to the task. and the formation of the new government is displaying endless beauracratic delays. if this congressman wanted to engage in some kind of productive discussion, he could be talking about those things, instead of waving the white flag.
Bush is the CiC, and he's the one cavorting with the enemy.
It's not the fault of Congress.
Your Congressman, Tom. Care to attempt a defense?
Hmmm. Sounds like another southern "Republican" who only "joined" the party cuz he couldn't get elected running on grandpappy's old label anymore. Who would be really "conservative" after being raised with liberal Democrat "values" and running for office to succeed those very family principles?
Well, I can assure you am a real REPUBLICAN! However, what I am speaking of did not come from me but the soldiers just like I said. There was an article in the Austin Statesman and the officers looking for civilian jobs are the ones saying decades. I have many, many Army friends and I haven't heard anyone of them say they believe we will be out of there soon but they believe 10 years or more. They have been there. They are certainly more qualified than those of us here that only know what we think should happen or hope will happen. Believe me your chances of returning the second time alive go down every time you go. I don't think any of this speaks bad of our troops except that they are real people with real lives and do not want to go for 14 months minimum and come back and return again and again.
You won't have to fire them. The best of them are getting out on their. West Pointers, Notre Dame you name the college. They wanted to stay but are getting out. My husband was a career Air Force officer. We know what it takes, but this is a different war and a different time.
Thank You! I agree!
Whatta buncha end-o-the-world pap. To say that this is a different war and a different time is stating the obvious for no good reason. But I'll bite. You know what it takes. So what is it?
I'm not talking about waving a white flag or a weak kneed congressman. Take out Al Jazeera. Osama and his followers are Saudi. We were attacked by Saudi Arabia no matter where the attack was launched from. They give us full support or we give them regime change. We take out the Syrian military in Lebanon. If they still refuse to stop supporting the insurgency in Iraq, we give them regime change too.
Stop pussy footing around and get tough. Do you think Germany, China or even France would be handling their enemies with kid gloves?
Win this thing and get the hell out!
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