1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

Republican Congressman Calls for Timetable on Iraq Troop Withdrawal

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by gifford1967, Jun 13, 2005.

Tags:
  1. gifford1967

    gifford1967 Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2003
    Messages:
    8,309
    Likes Received:
    4,655
    US lawmaker of 'freedom fries' fame turns against Iraq war Sun Jun 12, 5:31 PM ET

    A prominent lawmaker who prompted cafeterias in the US Congress to change the name of their french fries to "freedom fries" in anger over France's opposition to the Iraq war, has now turned against the conflict and wants a firm schedule on the withdrawal of US troops.

    Representative Walter Jones (news, bio, voting record), a North Carolina Republican, has written more than 1,300 letters of condolence to the families of soldiers killed in Iraq and will introduce legislation this week calling for a firm timetable on the withdrawal of US troops, ABC's "This Week" said Sunday.

    "This is what I believe is the right thing to do for our military first; and secondly, I think we are doing everything we can do in Iraq to give them an opportunity to have a democracy, to defend themselves," Jones told ABC.

    President George W. Bush's administration has refused to set a timetable on withdrawing its forces from the war-torn country.

    Asked about his change of heart on the war, Jones said he had attended two years ago the funeral of soldier, a married father of three, who was killed in Iraq. "That really has been on my mind and my heart ever since."

    He added: "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."

    "And my heart aches, quite frankly," Jones told ABC.

    In March 2003, just before the US-led invasion in Iraq, Representative Bob Ney (news, bio, voting record), chairman of the committee on House Administration, ordered that the term "french fries" be removed from all restaurant menus in the three House office buildings and replaced with freedom fries.

    Jones joined Ney in taking the action, issuing a joint statement saying: "This action today is a small, but symbolic effort to show the strong displeasure of many on Capitol Hill with the actions of our so-called ally, France."

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050612/pl_afp/usiraqfrancepolitics_050612213152&printer=1
     
    #1 gifford1967, Jun 13, 2005
  2. MadMax

    MadMax Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 1999
    Messages:
    76,683
    Likes Received:
    25,924
    What a cluster.

    I'm not sure pulling out right away is the right call, either. That leaves those people with an awful power vacuum. With very little support.
     
    #2 MadMax, Jun 13, 2005
  3. pirc1

    pirc1 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 9, 2002
    Messages:
    14,138
    Likes Received:
    1,882
    Sounds more and more like Vietnam to me.
     
    #3 pirc1, Jun 13, 2005
  4. Saint Louis

    Saint Louis Member

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 1999
    Messages:
    4,260
    Likes Received:
    0
    If the U.S. pulls out now, look for full fledge civil war to erupt. The Kurds will pull out and and declare the creation of Kurdistan which will PO the Iranians and Turks. Then the Shiites will pullout and form their own country or maybe the Sunnis and Shiites will just start slaughtering each other. No matter what happens, things will be bloody in Iraq for a very long time.
     
    #4 Saint Louis, Jun 13, 2005
  5. pirc1

    pirc1 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 9, 2002
    Messages:
    14,138
    Likes Received:
    1,882
    I do not believe it is a good idea to pull out now, but when would be a good time? five, ten or tweney year? What if the insurgents do not fade but keep getting stronger? How many American soliders should die before it is too much?
     
    #5 pirc1, Jun 13, 2005
  6. No Worries

    No Worries Member

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 1999
    Messages:
    32,965
    Likes Received:
    20,771
    Historically, 1 out of 3 is when the white flag goes up. We have another 48,000 soldiers to go.
     
    #6 No Worries, Jun 13, 2005
  7. Sishir Chang

    Sishir Chang Member

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2000
    Messages:
    11,064
    Likes Received:
    8
    I'm with MadMax on this one but I think we need to be looking at other ways than what the Admin. is doing to get American troops out. I still think that the best way to do it is to go hat and hand to the UN, Europe and Russia beg forgiveness and start cutting deals. This Admin. will never do that so for the foreseeable future I see us still there or pulling out in some half baked retreat reminiscent of Somalia and Lebanon.
     
    #7 Sishir Chang, Jun 13, 2005
  8. FranchiseBlade

    FranchiseBlade Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Jan 14, 2002
    Messages:
    51,824
    Likes Received:
    20,485
    I'm all for staying if we can help. I don't think we should abandon Iraq if it means more chaos.

    I just wonder if we are able to really help the big picture there. There is no real way of knowing, but I would call back some of the people who were right about troop levels, committment in terms of time, men, and money, that G.W. Bush forced out and trashed even though they were correct, and do whatever begging needed to be done to get them back. Then I would seek their advice.
     
    #8 FranchiseBlade, Jun 13, 2005
  9. GladiatoRowdy

    GladiatoRowdy Member

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2002
    Messages:
    16,596
    Likes Received:
    496
    Since GWB still doesn't think he has been incorrect in any way, I won't be holding my breath.
     
    #9 GladiatoRowdy, Jun 13, 2005
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)

Share This Page