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Send Wolfowitz to Iraq, Says GOP Lawmaker

May 29, 2007 1:12 PM

Send_wolfowitz__mn Paul Wolfowitz may have been ousted from his post at the World Bank, but a free-speaking GOP lawmaker has an idea to keep the so-called "architect" of the Iraq War from standing in the unemployment line.

"I would like to suggest...that maybe we give Paul Wolfowitz a new job and send him over [to Iraq] as mayor," said Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., "since the neocons got us in over there."

As deputy secretary of defense from 2000 to 2005, Wolfowitz helped develop the strategy and public rationale for the invasion and occupation of Iraq. He publicly stated that coalition troops would be greeted as liberators, and the nation of Iraq would be largely capable of financing its own rebuilding through oil revenues.

Wolfowitz announced his resignation as president of the World Bank last week after a bank panel found he had violated the terms of his contract by setting up a lucrative pay and promotion package for his girlfriend, Shaha Riza.

Wolfowitz has defended the pay package, telling the bank's investigative committee he was trying to avoid a potential lawsuit from Riza.

Jones, a one-time Democrat who switched his party affiliation for the Republicans' 1994 takeover of Congress, is best known as the one-time staunch Iraq war supporter who called for the House of Representatives' cafeteria to rename its French fries "freedom fries" to protest France's unwillingness to join the operation.

The cafeteria assented, going so far as to rename their French toast "freedom toast."

In 2005, Jones switched his position on both the war and the fries. Earlier this month, he was one of just two House Republicans who voted in favor of a Democratic proposal to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq by September 2008.

Jones made his comment at a House Armed Services Subcommittee hearing last week.

Jennifer Parker contributed to this report.

Do you have a tip for Brian Ross and the Investigative Team?

May 29, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (83)

User Comments

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i think if this issue is polled. i'd bet an overwhelming majority would vote to send him to iraq. which brings to my question. why aren't the really smart people who advocated the war are not in Iraq helping the cause?

Posted by: yugan | May 29, 2007 2:47:07 PM

Brilliant idea, with Karl Rove sent along as 'First Deputy of IED discovery', field operations...

Posted by: John McD | May 29, 2007 2:53:01 PM

Yes, and Cheney as Energy Secretary. He could keep half the oil and half the oil could go to the recovery effort. Probably a better deal than the one that Haliburton has cut under the table with C and W.

Posted by: Tess | May 29, 2007 3:01:09 PM

Love this idea! Give him a taste of his own handiwork! Attaboy, Wolfie! Not sure he would have enough time to go for any oil royalties while trying to stay alive. I mean, isn't the Green Zone now just a faded color?

Posted by: sheila | May 29, 2007 3:09:43 PM

of course he is still caucasing w/ the zombies.

But at least he kept his sense of justice and humour.

Oh and there is a small problem. The iraqi's just mnight want an iraqi mayor...

Posted by: david | May 29, 2007 3:13:20 PM

Now, Congressman Jones, you should resign and complete your mea culpa.

Thank you for your brave leadership in the renaming of food.

Posted by: tk | May 29, 2007 3:14:05 PM

That's an excellent suggestion. What did Wolfowitz think? He can take his girlfriend and in their spare time they could shop for rugs and such.

Posted by: thank Mr. Jones | May 29, 2007 3:22:27 PM

Congressman Jones only shows how ignorant Congress is when it comes to foreign policy. Most of them flip-flop on all issues at the cost of 600+ thousand Iraqi lives.
All members of congress are guilty of mass murder (WMD) along with Bush and cabal.

Posted by: Gamal | May 29, 2007 3:26:13 PM

Send Richard Perle and Bill Kristol as well.

Posted by: CW | May 29, 2007 3:26:23 PM

Although I think that this is a capital idea, I'm still reeling over the implication that Wolfie was in the Clinton Administration; since it was stated in the article that he was Deputy Defense Secretary from 2000.

Posted by: Anil | May 29, 2007 3:30:10 PM

Brilliant idea, Wolfie would have that occupation paying for itself in no time at all with his managerial skills.

Posted by: guns&bibles | May 29, 2007 3:32:12 PM

I just bought wolfowitzformayor.com

Be looking for updates.

Posted by: humidhaney | May 29, 2007 3:37:05 PM

It seems easier to blame the theorists and
loyalists (Wolfowitz, Gonzalez, Myers...) rather than the "deciders"; those who actually convert theories into policy.

Where does the buck stop in our democracy?
Let's hold our leaders accountable!!!

Posted by: ms. cass | May 29, 2007 3:46:21 PM

Think of how many wars we could avoid in the world if there was an international rule requiring the politicians to go fight first, followed by their children, before poor kids from Texas have to go.

Posted by: Jim Beckman | May 29, 2007 4:11:03 PM

Of course, put them all over there and let's see just how fast they decide to pull out.

Posted by: Com-n-sense | May 29, 2007 4:17:22 PM

Making Wolfie Mayor of Baghdad is a start, but all of the PNAC (Project for the New American Century) neocons (Wolfie, Perle, Cheney, Rummy, Jeb Bush, Condi, Bill Kristol & of course the Chimperor) need to be deposited 'outside' the Green Zone & let them 'reap what they have sown'!

That's called poetic justice!

Posted by: kladinvt | May 29, 2007 4:19:13 PM

I wish we could send Bush over to Iraq and leave him there. He's the Commander in Chief so he aught to be there. Why not bring his children with him to serve?

Posted by: Roz Chatt | May 29, 2007 4:20:13 PM

Maybe we should send this genius to Iraq as a just reward for his support of the policy that got us into Iraq as a voting member of the blank check Congress. Better yet, let`s send him along with the rest of these fearless elected officials "who are not afraid to make the tough decisions" that others must pay for with their lives. If they had to stay in Iraq for the duration I`ll bet the troops would be home in a flash.
Must admit though that his shenanigans are easily topped by the Congressman in the baby pink tie crying before the vote on funding the war last week. According to Boehner (I think his name is,) it is some how the Democrats fault that Bush failed to win the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, two pitifully small countries, in a time period longer than it took to win WWII!

Posted by: A Viet Nam Vet | May 29, 2007 4:21:52 PM

What does wolfie's wife think about the compensation package he arranged for his g.f.?

Posted by: unhipcat | May 29, 2007 4:31:51 PM

And we should provide this master stategic pocicy maker the same non-protective body armour and a vehicle with same inadaquate protective armour that our soldiers are have. No helmet for him1

Posted by: Cycle3man | May 29, 2007 4:39:58 PM

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