We have long known that the reasons President Bush and his team gave for going to war in Iraq were false. Many have contended that the president deliberately misled the nation into war. Scott McClellan, for example, with his insider's perspective, says in his new book that the president used exaggerations and misleading statements to win public and Congressional support for going to war in Iraq. Now we have important corroboration of such claims: the Senate Intelligence Report has made it official in a way that Congress will find hard to ignore.
The report describes a drum roll of groundless statements by the president, the vice president and other top officials. While it does not use the word "lie," it offers plenty of evidence that we were "led to war based on false pretences," to quote Committee chair Senator Rockefeller. The report shows there was no intelligence to back up the President's contention that Al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein were in cahoots, or his claim that Saddam would give WMD to terrorists, much less the Vice President's fantasy that American soldiers would be welcomed as liberators.
Now that these are official findings of the Senate Intelligence Committee, the question is, what do we do about it? Just wring our hands? Simply hope for change in the November elections? Or does the Constitution now require something more of us?
The Constitution's framers envisioned the possibility that presidents and their minions might seriously abuse the power of their office, and "subvert the constitution." Their remedy was impeachment: the removal of the offending official to protect our democracy. They understood that Executives historically wanted to take countries into unnecessary wars, so they empowered Congress act as a real check on unwarranted presidential warmaking. Since lying to Congress obstructs that function, it is a grave abuse of power that "subverts the Constitution" and meets the standard for impeachment.
The House should commence an impeachment inquiry forthwith. In fact, in a sense, it is already beginning. Rep. Kucinich introduced the articles, the House has referred them to the Judiciary Committee and the Senate Intelligence Report goes a long way toward furnishing the investigative work Congress needs to do in the course of impeachment, at least as regards the run-up to the war (Congress should also look at other serious abuses of power, including President Bush's refusal to obey duly enacted laws, as evidenced by hundreds of signing statements, his violations of the laws on wiretapping and mistreatment of detainees).
The next step is to start asking, what did the president actually know and when did he know it? Former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill has stated that President Bush seemed determined to overthrow Saddam Hussein at the beginning of his administration, well before 9/11. There was also the British "Downing Street" memo written in the summer of 2002 stating that President Bush was going to "fix" the intelligence to fit the policy of overthrow. It's now incumbent on Congress to take these matters up in impeachment hearings.
Yes, even at the end of their terms, President Bush and Vice President Cheney can still be impeached and removed from office. There might just be sufficient time to finish impeachment before they leave office, and technically they could be impeached even after that. This administration can still be held accountable for the consequences of the unnecessary Iraq War and other grave abuses. The American people still have a chance to witness the Constitution in action as it appropriately limits the powers of this president, preventing further abuses by him (such as bombing Iran without approval of Congress) or by his successors.
This would be an important lesson in democracy. We last learned it 34 years ago during the Nixon impeachment process, which reminded Americans how the Constitution works. But our collective memory of those far-off events may have faded, especially after the past eight years of President Bush asserting extreme claims for presidential power, coupled with the failure of Congress to respond forcefully. As a result, as a nation we may have a diminished level of constitutional literacy compared to 1974. It's time to reinvigorate that literacy. We need to understand once again that acquiescing in this president seriously deceiving us into war means ignoring what the Constitution says, and jeopardizing our democracy.
We got Clinton for something less than lethal..........what is the hold up with getting this mad man for treason and war crimes?
They have criminal records due to their disgraceful misuse of power, includinhg sanctioning torture, while thousands of Iraqi innocent people have died in a war they started on false pretences. We face the grave danger of them misusing their power to start a war with Iran. They MUST be removed from powwer. I pray Congress shows the courage to impeach both men,thereby restoring my faith in a Congress that has not been doing its job in getting rid of these executive leaders. THEY ARE MAD,because they worship only power and money and they have the disgraceful audacity to call themselves Christians.HAH!
But right now, we need to focus on November. We need to focus on making sure the GOP doesn't find a way to steel the election - our that we don't give it away by alienating independent voters and conservative female Clinton supporters that could lean toward Obama.
Lets not make Obama have to address what will no doubt be a divisive issue, lets hold our breath, and wait to exhale when Obama takes office.
Let history judge Bush for the catastrophic failure he is. Let Obama, by contrast, move into office with a degree of grace, dignity and optimism that we cannot have with more divisive craziness like impeachment
This transcends election posturing.
BushCo's War criminal trigger finger is a clear and present danger to the world.
Any moment now....."War With Iran started today with precision cruise missile attacks..."
I would only suggest that the term ‘Quixotic’ and ‘Senate Intelligence Committee’ is oxymoronic, paradoxical or just plain incomprehensible to the average Republican.
Impeachment? Cheney, Rove and Bush to the Hague!
They have voted themselves so many perks that it would boggle our minds. And, they learn very quickly just how far to push the envelope without it costing them anything personally.
They get paid outrageous amounts of money.
They get regular raises. And the percentage amount of their raises is probably more than a lot of their constituents earn.
They have healthcare that only sultans and kings can afford in other nations. So what is half of their constituents cannot afford to even take their kids in for a checkup and use emergency room services for every illness and injury.
Lobbists see to it that they live VERY comfortable lives.
There are a very small number of them that are altruistic souls and dare to "rage against the machine". Unfortunately, those people are often derided and scorned for even giving a damn.
I cannot tell you how much Mr. Kucinich's actions mean for all of us. I'll tell you this, he is someone who I think I could trust. And, that says a LOT about someone who has the job he has.
http://kucinich.house.gov/News/DocumentPrint.aspx?DocumentID=93581
this is perfectly understood by the noble neocon groupies of leo strauss
why can't you accept that. it is for our own good.
It is the right thing to do regardless of whether it succeeds. And because Republicans in Congress are running scared from Bush, there may be some votes there.
Is it somehow easier to impeach Bush now that he is almost out and soon to be a lame duck, although I would say he's been pretty lame so far!?
And Lastly- what does this say about America that our last two presidents were impeached? Awesome.
Besides--President Cheney? Unless you could get them both out of there, it might have gone from bad to worse. Bush is a fool; Cheney is not. He's even more dangerous.
WOW !!!!
The Honorable Cynthia McKinney asked this very same question on the floor of Congress... and it got her kicked out !!! Just think... if anyone bothered to take an African American woman seriously... would could have gotten rid of these jokers years ago.
These actions are pre-meditated murder. I can only hope that Vincent Bugliosi can find the brave prosecutors to bring all these criminals to justice and convict them of their crimes.
Very important that the democracy-destroying violations of the Constition by the Bush adminstration not be allowed to stand as precedents. Even if completed after they leave office, impeachment and conviction are important to restore the Constitution.
Over the last several years, under the pretense of the "war on terror," the White House has dismantled the Constitution, concentrating power in the President and undermining the rule of law. THIS IS UN-AMERICAN.
An interesting campaign has grown out of The American Freedom Agenda Act of 2007 (H.R. 3835), which was introduced by U.S. Rep. Ron Paul on October 15, 2007. Click here to read the text of the bill:
http://afagenda.nonprofitsoapbox.com/storage/afagenda/documents/AFA%20Act%20text.pdf
Please take a moment to show your support for this effort and add your name to the American Freedom Pledge. Click the following link to add your name:
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2165/t/1029/signUp.jsp?key=2491
Not with the protection of Pelosi.
Like I said, I don't agree and I'm voting democrat. She's doing what she thinks is right. The unfortunate by-product is yes, Bush and Cheney get away with it. But they can still be prosecuted even after office. But that's NOT her goal. Many don't agree with her and hopefully the American people will sign the petitions and get advocating so that we can put the pressure on to get them both impeached. Let's focus on that.
Lead, Follow or Get Out of The Way.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't these fine and honorable votes actually sentence the articles to legislative Siberia?
Bill Clinton let Bush 41 off the hook for Iran/Contra and that was the end of the constitution as we know it. The rule of law must be maintained or we, as a nation, stand for nothing but the pursuit of money. Religions, once gutted of their principles, are nothing. Unless this country stands on principles, it is but an empty vessel, morally and ethically bankrupt. The culture of corruption in Washington is of a magnitude that is unprecedented. America will live in shame for all of eternity because of its weakness, moral and spiritual.
Office of the Speaker
H-232, US Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-0100
http://speaker.house.gov/contact/
I just sent the following to Ms Pelosi:
It's time to put impeachment back on the table. Demacrats were put back into congress last election on two prime issues. End the war (or funding of it) and hold the current administration responsible to the people (and our constitution).