CS
Posted on 06/17/2005 12:10:49 AM PDT by Destro
'Freedom fries' politician calls for Iraq pullout
17 June 2005
WASHINGTON: North Carolina Republican representative Walter Jones, who previously had pushed for french fries to be renamed "freedom fries", backed a congressional resolution today calling for a US troop withdrawal from Iraq in a reflection of growing American unease, but the White House and the Pentagon rejected the idea.
The resolution, also backed by Hawaii Democratic representative Neil Abercrombie, calls for the Bush administration to develop a plan by the end of this year to pull out all American troops from Iraq and to begin the withdrawal by October 1, 2006.
Jones said US forces had removed Saddam Hussein, given Iraqis a chance at democracy and were training their military.
"After they're trained, what else should the goals be? Do we want to be there for 20 years or 30 years?" he said.
In 2002, Jones voted for the resolution that gave Bush the authority to launch an invasion of Iraq. He also wanted the House cafeteria to rename french fries "freedom fries," as a snub to France because of its opposition to the war.
Today's resolution on Iraq withdrawal was introduced in the House of Representatives as White House aides said President George W Bush plans a more determined effort to defend the Iraq war amid growing public doubts.
Bush spokesman Scott McClellan said setting a withdrawal date would send the wrong message to Iraqi insurgents.
"This message would say to the terrorists: 'All you have to do is wait until that day when our troops leave and then you can start carrying out those attacks and just hold out.'" he said.
The resolution is not expected to get far in the Republican-led Congress, which, though critical of aspects of the war, has supported the president's efforts.
About two-dozen House Democrats held their own hearing on a British government memo that says that by July 2002 US intelligence was being "fixed" around a policy that would inevitably lead to war with Iraq. US-led forces invaded Iraq in March 2003.
"If these disclosures are true. . . they establish a prima facie case of going to war under false pretenses," said representative John Conyers of Michigan, the ranking Democrat on the House judiciary committee who led the forum.
Conyers showed up at the gates of the White House with several other members of Congress to deliver the signatures of 122 congressional Democrats and 560,000 citizens on petitions seeking a response on the memo.
"We want an answer to our letter and if we have to send him 1 million signatures or 10 million, we're going to keep collecting them," said Conyers, who asked to deliver the bundles of documents in person but was told instead by White House staff members to pass them through the gate.
Dozens of protesters shouted "Let Conyers in" as they carried signs that said "Bushame on you. You lied, they died."
THE PENTAGON AND THE PUBLIC
At the Pentagon, Marine Corps Lt. Gen. James Conway, director of operations for the military's Joint Staff, also did not support any deadline and expressed disappointment over opinion polls showing waning American support for the US presence in Iraq.
Bush is facing some of the most pessimistic views on Iraq since launching the war two years ago. A poll by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press said this week that American support for an immediate withdrawal of US troops from Iraq is inching up – from 36 per cent last October, to 42 per cent in February, and 46 per cent now.
Bush will play host to Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari at the White House on June 24 and will deliver a speech about Iraq on June 28 to mark the first anniversary since the transfer of sovereignty from a US-led coalition to Iraqis.
The Bush administration has offered a conflicting picture of events in Iraq.
Vice President Dick Cheney boldly asserted recently that the Iraqi insurgency, which is killing dozens of people daily with brazen suicide attacks, was in its "last throes." Bush has offered a more sober picture while stressing progress is being made.
Jones voted for the October 2002 congressional resolution that gave Bush the authority to launch the invasion of Iraq the following March.
Exactly. How long have our troops been in Japan, Germany and South Korea? What is the date for our withdrawal there?
Well, it's worth keeping in mind that the reason our troops are still in Korea is because the reason that they went there in the first place is just as urgent and valid as ever.
As for Japan and Germany, our troops are still there because it's more convenient than moving them elsewhere.
If we don't stabilize and control the Middle East (which has descended into an insane and violent region), we put the Western world's oil supply at risk, and therefore the whole of Western civilization. The Middle East won't just "sort itself out," it's way too far down the road of evil.
I saw this bunk on the news at the bar. My first thought - should we not first consider pulling out of Germany and Japan?
CS
Yes. And it's not a big secret here.
Considering we're still in Europe following WWII, I think the Iraqis will be looking forward to some company for a while.
bttt
My German grandmother recalled that sauerkraut was renamed `liberty cabbage' during WW1 (my grandfather enlisted and served with distinction in the U.S. Army).
Seriously, we're in Iraq for the long haul and it's for this nation's good as well as the peoples of the region. I don't say this lightly. I'm 56, a Vietnam veteran and serving Army reservist who has already deployed and is eligible to do so again.
As for renaming, we reservists were subjected to a mandatory class on sexual harassment. A scenario described a superior giving a subordinate female a
French kiss. I stood up and said, "Excuse me, sir, but that's FREEDOM KISS!"
I can imagine if we'd told Hitler--alright, you better straighten out because we're out of here on 1/1/45. No ifs ands or buts!
bump
Thank you! I've been trying to get that point across to those who want to run. Unsuccessfully I might add.
We do. It's called Israel ;-)
Not right after WWII .. Europe didn't just become a resort area because Germany surrendered
IMO .. I think once the Iraqis get things under control and they can protect their own country
Then majority of US troops will be pulled out ... but we will keep a small base somewhere there to remind the bad guys not to try a take over
If we wanted that country .. we would have made it a USA State way back in the 1st Gulf War
That wasn't our intent then .. it isn't our intent now
We don't have a problem paying for our Oil
We do have a problem with a bunch of nuts that want to kill us
Seems when he 'freedom fried' his way into the news many Republicans liked where he stuck his finger.
So funny, my daughter's school served "Freedom fries" all year, said so on the monthly menu. I guess the cafeteria manager had right political leanings.
What crappy history books were you reading? The Japanese on their own dime opened brothels all over Japan in fear that if there was no outlet Americans would hit on (ok the Japanese thought "rape") local Japanese girls.
What the German and Italian woman would do for nylons and choclate under the occupation is the stuff of legends.
How sad.
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