Rep. Walter Jones Provides Clarity of Leadership on Congressional War Powers

Rep. Walter Jones on C-SPAN TV: Congress Must Fully Debate and Amend Obama’s Military Force Bill; Release the ’28 Pages’

Rep. Walter Jones (R—N.C.), a leader of initiatives for a full and open debate in Congress on Obama’s Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), and for an immediate de-classification of the 28 pages from the Congressional 9/11 inquiry, spoke strongly on these points yesterday on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal” program. During the nearly hour-long program, people who calling in were moved by the morality and clarity of Jones’s leadership, and expressed this explicitly.

Jones’s TV appearance comes soon after the release of the letter he initiated with Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), signed by 18 other Congressmen (9 of each party), sent to House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) Feb. 18, stating the same demands.

Rep. Jones began by referencing this letter, stressing:

“Let’s have a full three-day debate, eight hours a day, or six hours a day, on this issue. It’s too important to the security of our country and it’s too important that we are spending absolutely billions of dollars with little accountability.”

Jones’s letter stated that over $1.5 trillion has been spent so far, and we have “lost over 6800 brave men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan…”

Jones said of the first AUMF in 2002, that “when we debated the Iraq AUMF, we only had two amendments…”. It was a closed process. Today, we must have an open debate. He spoke of the circumstances in 2002, saying:

“Obviously, that was a different administration and a different time. I sincerely believe that the previous administration had manipulated the intelligence to justify an unnecessary war. So I’m very cautious…I’ll use the word, dubious…”

Jones repeated the word, “dubious,” on Obama’s AUMF today. He continued, by warning:

“I know what the President sent to us was very vague, and he probably did that intentionally… Congress needs to be wary… We are going to spend a good deal of money on something that is unclear in both mission, measures of effectiveness, in start and exit strategy. Haven’t we been down this road before?”

He elaborated several specifics of today’s situation, which indicate the direction of what he believes needs to be done. For example:

“I would like at this time to thank the King of Jordan, and to thank the President of Egypt, for taking the lead to attack ISIL after they have done so much damage. This is what needs to happen. They are Middle Eastern Countries—Muslim countries. They need to take the lead. Let America support and back them, but not have America continuing to send our men and women on the ground.”

Jones spoke critically of the chaos and spreading terrorism resulting from the interventionist, regime-change approach, highlighting the consequences which have arisen from the invasion of Iraq and overthrow of Saddam Hussein using the pretext of falsified intelligence, as well as the more recent regime-change in Libya:

“Until the day I die, I believe sincerely that, if Saddam Hussein was still in power, I don’t think we would have all of these jihadists running around the world… Was he an evil dictator? Absolutely. I believe, had we not bombed Libya and taken out Qaddafi, I believe we would not have the terrorists living in Libya….Diplomacy is the best way to try to maintain some type of order…”

He denounced the carnage and brutality which results from war:

“[We are] not only killing the enemy, but also killing innocent people. When you are killing innocent people, their families will tell people for centuries that Americans killed their uncle or aunt…”

When asked how he originally come to vote for the first AUMF, then regret it, Jones answered that, the “Administration manipulated the intelligence.” Jones said that he attended all the classified briefings, “from Donald Rumsfeld to Condoleeza Rice, [who] talked about the threat of Saddam Hussein.” But stated regretfully, “I did not read the CIA analysis. I wish I had…”

The 28 Pages

Among Jones’s other key points was to reiterate his demand for the declassification of “the 28 pages that were in the 9/11 bipartisan report… It will help educate the American people and members of Congress to the role of foreign governments in the attack…”

Support Rep. Walter Jones’ H. Res. 14 to declassify the 28 Pages on 9/11.

Throughout his remarks, Jones stressed the need for citizens and Congressmen to take responsibility. “We, for too long, have abdicated responsibility.” He spoke sadly of writing letters to the families of stricken soldiers, wounded or killed.

“I still write letters—not as many. I have sent over 11,000 letters since we went into Iraq. I still go to Walter Reed to visit the bodies. I was there in October and need to go again, and will in March. We had Marines from my district… So many people watching this show, know [this]…”

Among the call-ins were citizens who responded to Jones’ leadership deeply moved. A few of their comments:

Caller: “Do you remember the Greek story about how the genie, who carried a lamp, looking for an honest man—about Diogenes…looking for an honest man? I thought that was you. I was impressed.”

Caller: “Thank you for your seriousness when it comes to this ultra-important issue.”

Caller: “I ask you this, Congressman, do you feel lonely up there in Washington? I wish there were more people that feel the way you do.”

Caller: “Good morning. I’ve been listening, and am completely overwhelmed by what he has been saying. From the Republican side of things, I have not heard this kind of candor before. It is greatly appreciated. I think it is having an effect even on the phone calls you are getting this morning, instead of the rant that I so often hear…”