Jones takes questions at GOP headquarters
By Aaron Moore
Published in News on June 29, 2011 1:46 PM
With rising national debt, conflict in Libya and war in Afghanistan, U.S. Rep. Walter Jones took time Tuesday to hear concerns from Wayne County Republicans over the job Congress is doing.
In a question and answer session at the county's Republican Headquarters, Jones told constituents the U.S. has enough problems at home to take care of before it can think about policing the world.
"A nation that's financially broke -- which America is, we can't pay our bills -- can't police the world," Jones said.
He added that war in Afghanistan is also becoming too costly to continue, both in money and soldiers' lives.
"Why are they over there?" Jones asked. "Bin Laden is dead. Al-Qaida is out of Afghanistan. You can't even fix the streets here in Wayne County but you're paying to fix the streets in Afghanistan. God, how does that make sense?"
Jones said he hopes Congress will be able to pass legislation to remove all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by 2015.
He also said he is working with Republicans and Democrats to file a lawsuit against Obama to end U.S. involvement in Libya.
"How in the world did President Obama go on his own and decide we were going to bomb Libya?" Jones said. "If we had been attacked, it would be a different story."
Jones said Congress will have a bi-partisan vote next week to cut funding for involvement in Libya, which he said has already cost the U.S. $800 million.
"We are headed for a total collapse in this country. You can't avoid it," he said. "I don't trust the Congress and the White House to do what I have to do and what you have to do, and that's to balance the checkbook."