"US lawmakers regret voting for Iraq war"

[Bluebear]

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=13180

US Representative Walter Jones, a conservative Republican, does not hide his anger when he says bad information led him to vote for the Iraq war. "If I had known then what I know today, I wouldn't have voted for that resolution. Absolutely not," he said Thursday in an interview.

His comments reflect concerns of other Republican lawmakers in Congress, and polls show a lingering debate over the reasons for going to war have hurt the administration even as the Iraq operation shows signs of success.

A day earlier, during House Armed Services Committee testimony on the Iraq war, Jones demanded an apology from the administration of President George W. Bush.

"To me, there should be somebody that is large enough to say, 'We made a mistake'," Jones said, almost in tears with frustration. He said he and other lawmakers want to ensure they are never again asked to authorize a war with bad information. Jones felt so bad he decided to write personal letters of condolence to the families of each of the more than 1,600 US soldiers killed.

[warrens]

1. OK, there apparently is ONE good Republican

Good for him.

[FreedomAngel82]

21. Good!

He has a soul and a consceious. Good for him. I hope he's even more vocal. This is a good sign indeed. There's some small hope for the republicans. People like them need to try to show the others and get back at the neocons.

[cybildisobedience]

22. well, he better get some bodyguards!

[ladjf]

25. Nope, not necessary. Only potential risks get suicided. He's

already said his thing. Too late for suicide. The suicides are "pre-emptive" never vindictive.

[libhill]

2. There is a God!

I mean, if even some Repukes are beginning to wise up to Bushco, maybe there is still some hope left for this country -

[Book Lover]

3. You know what would be better than letters of condolence?

Go to the leadership of your party and demand that you all kick out the neocons. Oh wait, that's right, that would require a spine in a Republican. Never mind.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

4. or impeachment hearings

[Lone_Star_Dem]

5. This is a start

But let's try and take this to the next level. If he's so angry why doesn't he persue the role bush himself had to play in this? There's reasons why the intelligence was cooked. Let's persue those reasons, what do you say Representative Jones?

No, this wasn't a mistake.

[FreedomAngel82]

23. What if people contact him?

What if he's shown some support? Could he maybe even go farther in this?

[ladjf]

26. Another dozen Republicans like this and we could send Bush

and company to jail for a long time. How sweet that would be!

[seabeyond]

6. a man with a conscience, no f*in way

this man, i am in love. doesnt take much for me, good for him. let this spread. another pat on the back

[Cocoa]

7. so Rep. Jones must be a Saddam-lover

he must want Saddam back in power, and he must be rooting for the insurgents, and hoping the elections failed, and he must hate the Amercian troops, and all the other crap we hear about people that disagree with the war.

[daleo]

8. So, do somthing about it.

Sponsor a bill to bring the troops home. The letter writing does seem sincere though.

[More Than A Feeling]

9. Maybe on this but Walter Jones would let preachers endorse candidates

from the pulpit and keep their tax exemption. Google “Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act” (H.R. 235).

[Toby109]

16. Yep, he's a fundy.

There's a Rolling Stone piece on Dominionists floating around here. Its a good read, and scary. Does make you wonder what in the sam hill this is all really about.

[dave123williams]

10. You know; in order for this war to stop, the only thing congress has to do

...is stop the funding for it. Bush doesn't have the power to wage war (under the war powers act), unless Congress renews his authority.

[Old and In the Way]

11. Republicans have used wayward Democrats for cover in the past.

Nice to see the shoe's on the other foot....may be a trend developing. Or maybe he's just looking towards the next election cycle....

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. Attn: Sens. Kerry, Lieberman, Edwards, Clinton, etc.

Perhaps it's time you showed some spine and stepped up to the plate and said as much as a Republican.

[gratuitous]

13. Second that

SEE how easy it is to say that you wouldn't vote for Chimpy's invasion again? Even a knuckledragger like Jones can say the words! What will it take for a Democrat in a leadership position to say the same thing?

[Bluebear]

14. Third

[Atlas Mugged]

18. Yes

I'm so discouraged by all these fools.

[Zenlitened]

20. Have to admit, that was my 1st thought, too. Instead of tip-toeing around

... the question, just say "Damn right I would have voted differently if I knew what a scam this would turn out to be."

:(

[Pithy Cherub]

31. Amen! Fourthed...

will wait...a really looonnnnnng time.

[ProfessorGAC]

15. ". . .even as the Iraq operation shows signs of success. . ." Huh?

And what criteria is used to define success? What a buffoon this author must be.
The Professor

[libhill]

17. Yeah, right

About as much success as we had in Viet Nam. Same bowl, just a smaller salad. So far.

[beam me up scottie]

19. This is lovely and all but

many of us knew that the information this administration received from "shopping" the intelligence reports was wrong from the start. The citizens and leaders of other countries knew this. Many at the UN knew this.
These politicians believe a new report but where the hell were they in 2003?

[ladjf]

24. That's a hellofa lot better than Kerry who continued to say

that he would have voted for the war authorization even after learning that there were no weapons. Why did he say such a dumb thing?

[Donailin]

29. one word

pandering. all politicians do it, espcially in close races where you want every (uneducated) vote. Hillary is doing it now.

[ladjf]

30. You are probably correct. However, I believe that it cost him

more votes than he gained. It was perfect opportunity to minimize the damage of the terribly stupid and dishonest vote by him.
Yes, Hilary is sliming her way toward the nomination. Please, Dems. Have enough sense to nominate a candidate is first for the U.S. and then for themselves. The Clintons are charming con people.

[Bluebear]

32. I agree with your assessment re; Kerry

PS I played for the team and all, but when Kerry first voted to authorize I called his office and was told that since I wasn't a constituent shouldn't I be calling my New Hampshire senators? I told the person who answered that since Kerry was then a 'potential' candidate I thought he would be interested but apprently not. :crazy:

[Donailin]

27. Holy crap, someone with a conscience. nt

[MichiganVote]

28. Letters to the families of the deceased?Go put on a uniform instead

Let's see how you feel when your ass is in your mouth with fear, you lose buddies in your unit and your family back home lived in terror, not of terrorists, but of the United States military.

[Bluebear]

33. night shift kick

[bling bling]

34. Are the Democrats just a bunch of cardboard cut-outs?

You sure never hear anything like this from them. It's like they don't even exist anymore except as ornaments.

The Repubs have become the party in control AND the opposition all rolled into one.

[UTUSN]

35. Gee, Why Didn't They Ask *Us* Back Then? n/t