An Open Letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, United States House of Representatives:

I recently watched Dr. Strangelove for the first time in 40+ years. I'd hoped to find it quaintly anachronistic. I found it shockingly relevant.

According to a U.S. national security expert, reported by Sarah Baxter, Sunday, 9/2/07, in The Sunday Times UK.,  the Pentagon has developed plans for 3 days of massive airstrikes against 1,200 targets in Iran. The plan is reportedly designed to annihilate the Iranians¹ military capability in three days of massive airstrikes against 1,200 targets in Iran.

A plan is not an action and stories about America attacking Iran have been floating around for years. However, given:
• the deteriorating condition of Iraq,
• setbacks in Afghanistan,
• overextended and depleted U.S. military,
• astonishing cost of the Iraq adventure and related actions (threatening the economic viability of the nation and demonstrably diminishing the quality of life),
• ongoing intelligence failures (c.f., Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA, by Tim Weiner),
• the demonstrated inability of this Administration to plan for what-happens-next (e.g., Amb (ret) Peter Galbraith's The End of Iraq:  How American Incompetence Created a War Without End),
• the potentially catastrophic consequences of attacking Iran,
• the inattentiveness of mainstream media,
• the Administration's arrogant disregard of the Constitution, the laws of the land and the people's will expressed through Congress,
• the messianic paranoia laced throughout this Administration, and
• the feeble response of Congress to all the above,

I therefore humbly beseech you, as the Leader of the House of Representatives, to assure the President that any military action against Iran without the explicit, written consent of Congress under the War Powers Act of 1973 and the United States Constitution, will be closely followed by a Bill of Impeachment and that you will do all within your official and personal power to assure that the President is impeached and convicted. Such a statement of intent in no way constrains the legitimate authority of the President and only assures that Congress, as the representative of the American people, will exercise its Constitutional authority and responsibility.

I further encourage you and your colleagues to consider other forms of deterrence, including the International Criminal Court and the United Nations Security Council, as this Administration's term in office expires and the consequences of impeachment to Mr. Bush and his allies appear to diminish.

Thank you for your consideration.

The first victim of war is the truth -- Rudyard Kipling

Though boys throw rocks at frogs in sport, the frogs do not die in sport, but in earnest -- Bion from Plutarch

I am tired and sick of war. Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, more vengeance, more desolation. War is hell -- William Tecumseh Sherman

... (G)overnment of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth -- Abraham Lincoln.

cc: The Honorable Harry Reid, United States Senate

[a discussion with Amb. Peter Galbraith about his book can be found at ]

Comments

[truthmongerer]

You make a compelling and important argument. What a shame that you're presenting it to the two "leaders" who we know with certainty care more about their own power and re-election than they do with anything related to the very reasons we elected them. Do we all remember electing them to end this absurd war? Nancy Pelosi doesn't. Do you remember scratching your head without understanding when they promptly exclaimed that impeachment was off the table? I do. This is a great letter, but you've written it to the Nancy Pelosi of last year, before we found out who she really is.

[OrangeSam]

A well written and well reasoned letter.

[altohone]

Action after the fact doesn't suffice.

There is ample evidence to impeach BEFORE Bush can create another disaster.

You are encouraging yet another feeble response.

[TexasDem0]

This is long overdue. Impeach Dick Cheney first.

This Congress has put political expediency over morality and justice.
Yes, we know that congressional GOP enablers will stonewall impeachment, and we know that they will attempt to twist new lies to blame the Democrats.

That makes it all the more imperative to pursue impeachment. Put every legislator’s position on the record. Show who has violated the oath of office to “support and defend The Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic…” Show who still protects the criminals in the Bush Administration from our laws.

Restore what’s left of our national character and show the world that we are a people, and a government, of law and justice and compassion.

[vginger]

I SHOULD HAVE ADDED THIS ALSO TO THE POST I JUST SENT...I COULD HAVE TAKEN MY COMMENTS DOWN A NOTCH ABOUT PELOSI ETC...BUT THE TIME HAS PAST FOR WORRYING ABOUT TREADING ON TOES OR HOW WE SPEAK...CAUSE WE ARE ON THE DOWNSIDE AND HEADING TOWARDS A CRASH IF WE DON'T ALL SPEAK UP AND TRY AND SAVE WHATEVER CAN BE SAVED OF OUR COUNTRY..OUR SELF RESPECT.
I AM SO MAD...AND I AM GOING TO SAY IT...OVER AND OVER...EVERY CHANCE I GET.
WE ..AS A NATION...HAVE BEEN SCREWED BLUED AND TATOOED PEOPLE...DON'T JUST SIT THERE...
SCREAM...MARCH...WHATEVER IT TAKES...(WITHIN THE BOUNDRYS OF THE LAW).
WE ARE A COUNTRY AND A PEOPLE AWASH IN SHAME. V.

[FlowerGirl]

And those who have the responsibility of controlling things for us, but take impeachment off the table for no understandable reason, those who refuse to take effective action while it is in their power, they are also guilty. Any court would have to consider them as accomplices. They know but do nothing. Congresswoman?

[Plowboy]

We would like a promise from Pelosi to resign the moment the planned attack on Iran is launched by the president she refuses to impeach.
The bombing of innocent preople is murder and I'd like to say here and now: Not in My Name!

Those who go along are not innocent, dear Congresswoman.

[disgustedcitizen]

Excellent post!

If you don't mind, I am going to copy our post and send it to Speaker Pelosi and Senator Reid as well. In fact, I think that all HuffPo readers should send it to them.

[bigfated]

This idiotic, disconnected from reality chimp is just whacky enough to take us into still another disastrous uneeded war....kinda like Iraq! Congress must stop him!

[Atticus]

I watched something more chilling and relevant last night: 7 Days in May, starring Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster.

How ominous!

[Picasso]

EXCELLENT piece Mrs.Gordon

You certainly speak for me and I trust thousands upon
thousands of American citizens who can't believe their eyes and ears as the House of Representatives and Senate residents, the people's employees,act as though they are living on another planet.

You have articulated the issue very well and the necessary consequences.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Picasso.