Seeing the Light (Updated)

Walter Jones was a staunch supporter of the Iraq war. He is the man who came up with the "Freedom Fries" idea. More recently he has come to the conclusion that he, and the American people, were sold a false bill of goods.

It was a culinary rebuke that echoed around the world, heightening the sense of tension between Washington and Paris in the run-up to the invasion of Iraq. But now the US politician who led the campaign to change the name of french fries to "freedom fries" has turned against the war.

Walter Jones, the Republican congressman for North Carolina who was also the brains behind french toast becoming freedom toast in Capitol Hill restaurants, told a local newspaper the US went to war "with no justification".

[...]

Now Mr Jones appears to agree. Asked by a reporter for the North Carolina News and Observer about the name-change campaign - an idea Mr Jones said at the time came to him by a combination of God's hand and a constituent's request - he replied: "I wish it had never happened."

Although he voted for the war, he has since become one of its most vociferous opponents on Capitol Hill, where the hallway outside his office is lined with photographs of the "faces of the fallen".

"If we were given misinformation intentionally by people in this administration, to commit the authority to send boys, and in some instances girls, to go into Iraq, that is wrong," he told the newspaper. "Congress must be told the truth."

Better late than never. You should send an e-mail to Rep. Jones thanking him for seeing the light. (UPDATE: use BELHAVEN and 27810 as city and zip code.)

It will be interesting to see if a "well financed candidate" decides to make a run for his seat.

I also note that I had to read about this in the English press.

Link.

UPDATE:

I forgot that Walter Jones was the congressman who, along with Wes Clark, asked Richard Perle some touch questions at the Armed Services Committee. This was reported on by GIR I here.

A link to the audio of the exchange is provided along with the times of the key exchanges. Very interesting.

Hat Tip: Truthseeker.