The Acceptance Of Unaccountability
Now that the Democratic party has chosen a presidential nominee, it is time to take a small breather to refocus on the war in Iraq which has been generally ignored by most of the major media outlets during the primary. It's important to reincorporate the war back into the discussion being that it's the most significant issue in the general election.
Setting aside the explosive revelations from Scott McClellen, last week the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence unveiled its "Phase II" report regarding the Bush administration's purposeful manipulation of prewar intelligence that was used as a justification to invade and occupy Iraq.
The committee's chairman, Senator Jay Rockefeller, made the following statements in a press release:
"In making the case for war, the Administration repeatedly presented intelligence as fact when in reality it was unsubstantiated, contradicted, or even non-existent. As a result, the American people were led to believe that the threat from Iraq was much greater than actually existed."
"It is my belief that the Bush Administration was fixated on Iraq, and used the 9/11 attacks by al Qa'ida as justification for overthrowing Saddam Hussein. To accomplish this, top Administration officials made repeated statements that falsely linked Iraq and al Qa'ida as a single threat and insinuated that Iraq played a role in 9/11. Sadly, the Bush Administration led the nation into war under false pretenses."
As a veteran of the Iraq war this is enough to turn my fingers into fists. I don't know why exactly; it isn't like I didn't already know it. I think I just finally accepted the sad reality that there will be no accountability.
When I say "accountability" I'm not talking about what will be written in the history books. After all, Bush loyalists love to say that history will be the judge of his presidency.
I'm talking about concrete ramifications for Bush's lies that resulted in the deaths of over 4,000 US troops, an overextended & broken military, over $500 billion spent, repeated combat tours for our troops, VA hospitals flooded with veterans seeking care for physical as well as emotional injuries, and an uncountable number of dead Iraqi civilians.
Not to mention that these horrors all remain underway with no end in sight -- meaning more death, destruction, and debt.
Congressman Dennis Kucinich, to his credit, is making a strong attempt to hold this administration accountable for it's criminal activity by introducing 35 articles of impeachment in the House of Representatives. However, Kucinich's efforts are unlikely to move forward due to political fears Democrats are facing going into the election.
If full blown impeachment hearings of President Bush would result in Barack Obama losing to John McCain, then I totally concur that impeachment is a risk that is arguably not worth taking.
But is it conceivable that the American people would hold Democrats accountable in November for trying to impeach Bush for what many would describe has "high crimes and misdemeanors?" After all, the Republicans impeached President Clinton for a far less impeachable offense and they got the White House and maintained a majority of Congress through 2006.
The Republicans remain fearless and completely unconcerned with political viability. They are running in 08' on a platform of insanity that continues the occupation of Iraq, and makes Bush's tax cuts and economic policies permanent. All in the face of multiple public opinion polls indicating that nearly 80% of the American people feel that Bush has put this country on the wrong track. I just hope they (the Republicans) pay for it in November.
Here is a reality check for all those like me who had their hopes up -- George W. Bush will not be impeached. Under the circumstances all we can hope for is that Congress will contain him long enough to leave office and minimize the remaining damage he can inflict on this nation, Iraq, and possibly other countries -- like Iran.
While we stand by hoping for Congress to prevent George W. Bush from initiating any more disasters -- we must not forget that it is up to us to bring about change this election. After all, it is ours to lose.
It's disgraceful that the key players in the Bush administration who intentionally lied us into the Iraq war will not be held accountable, but it's their disgrace to bear for eternity. I'll focus on the comfort that there is light at the end of the tunnel and it's coming soon.
I think retiring GOP Congressman Tom Davis said it best:
"The Republican brand is in the trash can... if we were dog food, they would take us off the shelf."
Amen to that.
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John,
The American neocon government told lies to its citizens so as to gain their support for the war in Iraq. It was a well known fact in Europe before the war started. Even the Brits knew it, which is why the British public opinion opposed Blair's war. Some American knew it too, just a look at Juan Cole's archives proves it.
So the bullcrap is now recognized for what it is. What about trying to make out the real reasons ?
The dollar's value relies on the use of petrodollars. All countries around the world need to buy your currency to buy oil on the international markets.
Saddam had made a deal with France and Germany to sell his oil in Euros.
Supporting the dollar was the main reason for the war in Iraq. Getting wealthier, proving Dad he was a tough guy, supporting some lobbies and corporations, were just cherries on the cake for Bush and Cheney.
Iran started selling polyethylen in foreign currency last February. However the international community has reached a consensus. It's in no one's interest to dump the dollar too fast. The shift must be done progressively so as to maintain the fragile economical balance. And it will be easier to undergo these changes once a more peaceful and diplomatic president is elected in the USA, and, perhaps, once your economy is weaker because of the high price of oil.
Moreover it's not in China's interest to loose its main customer, America, too brutally. China wants to strengthen its trade with the new wealthy countries first.
I'm not trying to defend Bush. I think climate change is the main danger for humanity and for our future, and with bush we lost 8 years. But this war in Iraq, however badly managed, however murderous for American soldiers and for Iraqis, might have saved the American dollar (hence your economy and the American way of life based on consumerism) to a certain extend, and at least for now.
Maybe, and that's a big maybe, if the removal of Saddam had been followed by a good management of Iraq's occupation, with a huge financial investment in reconstruction, with diplomacy and the help from neighboring countries, maybe the war could have reached its purpose and could have saved the dollar and the American economical supremacy.
Then Bush and Cheney would have been considered heroes in the eyes of the American people. And their lies would have been ignored because sadly, human beings have a tendency to think with their purse and their buying power.
`
'' If full blown impeachment hearings of President Bush would result in Barack Obama losing to John McCain, then I totally concur that impeachment is a risk that is arguably not worth taking. ''
I disagree.
It is more important to impeach a criminal president
If that makes the voters elect Senator McCain Prez
and fill the Congress with Republicans
so be it.
the principal here is the American Constitution
and concern that future Bushes
will continue to destroy our Republic
some people have sacrificed life & limb
to save our Republic
surely the cowardly Democrats
should be willing to sacrifice their jobs
to save our Republic
and send a message to the world
that we will not allow anymore George Bushes
to rule the world
.
Dear Mr. Bruhns,
Eloquently expressed, we (You and I) are in the exact same stream of consciousness on this one. Agape.
"It is my belief that the Bush Administration was fixated on Iraq, and used the 9/11 attacks by al Qa'ida as justification for overthrowing Saddam Hussein."
Are there alternate theories? Between Richard Clarke, the PNAC, and the collapse of the Bush administration's [i]causus belli[/i], isn't this now the conventional explanation?
Unfortunately John America is not what it once was. Once America was filled with optimistic, progressive people who cherished their freedoms because they knew life without them. No longer, sadly today freedom is taken for granted, we have willfully forgotten that it is a privelage. It is a privelage because of the generations of Americans who sacrificed everything to build the country we were born in.
We the most recent Americans responsible for securing America's freedoms have failed our forefathers. We have denigrated their memories by allowing George W. Bush to get away with his crimes against our most sacred documents. We have failed those generations who came before us and shamed ourselves with our fear, with our selfishness, with our greed and with our refusal to hold the President of the United States responsible for weakening our Country instead of strengthening it.
Spineless Dems in office are just as out of touch with the American people as republiCONS.
They think that holding anybody accountable would threaten their shot at the WH and getting a bigger majority in Congress.
With Bush's approval rating in the pits, and Congress' even lower, I think there would be a collective shout of "Hallelujah" by the majority of Americans if somebody did something to get these guys to justice.
Maybe that would improve Congress' approval rating.
We want a "do-something" Congress.
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magen,
Yes, it might help their approval ratings, after all, they can only get better :-)
V/R
John
Will we also forget to take into account the $23 BN alleged to
have been lost or stolen or mis-spent in Iraq? What about
giving the Saudis nuclear technology and weapons? What
about the fact that Bin Laden is still not in jail or verifiably
dead? John, would it be better that Bush gets his not-so-secret
deal in Iraq, or maybe by October he decides now is the time
to stop Iran? No one truely believes that there will be elections
if Bush goes to war with Iran. Can we take the chance?
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deminmo,
Can we take the chance? Hence my part of the blog:
Under the circumstances all we can hope for is that Congress will contain him long enough to leave office and minimize the remaining damage he can inflict on this nation, Iraq, and possibly other countries -- like Iran.
V/R
John
It's a bitter thing, this "unaccountability." These people own the media and the power structure so there's pretty much no chance they'll be charged, tried, convicted, or even just humiliated. Henry Kissinger's involvement in creating and continuing the Vietnam war made him on of the most bloody-handed people in the last half of the twentieth century, yet he's spent many years as an "elder statesman." The vicious guy has been jetting to parties all over the world for decades.
And as I'm sure you know, Bush did not politicize the Justice Department and pack the courts for recreational purposes.
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Id,
Let's hope and pray that no Bush administration official becomes an "elder statesman."
V/R
John
Someone, (Nancy Pelosi), needs to explain why, exactly, impeachment was taken off of the table? Why are we not going to hold those accountable that are responsible for our worst foreign policy disaster in American history? Why aren't we prosecuting the people that have lied to Congress repeatedly and cost America almost a trillion dollars and 4000 American lives and countless Iraqi lives?
Or at least TRYING to hold them accountable!!!
The biggest problem that I have with the dems in clowngress isn't that they haven't ended the war, I knew that wouldn't happen. What bugs me is that they haven't forced the issue. If they could make the repubs in clowngress have to stand up before the American people EVERY DAY and explain why they support bushco(tm) we'd be GUARANTEED to have a supermajority in congress for the next CENTURY!!!!
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Chillinout,
I too would love to know why impeachment was taken off the table.
V/R
John
John, your voice, as a veteran of the conflict in Iraq, is a true and trusted voice. Keep reminding us that we need a sane and sensible policy in Iraq (and Iran), and that the voters need to choose very carefully this November or things will only get worse. illigitimus non carborundum, my friend. Your words of warning and caution are important.
Cennis Smirl (posting as LouisPWu)
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Cennis Smirl,
Thank you kindly for your encouragement.
V/R
John
It is NOT just the Republican's or Bush's responsibility ... their crimes were done as officials within the US government and represent the wil of the United States. Their crimes taint us all and we will have zero chance of regaining our honour unless/until we hold our ofrficials accountable to the principles we SAY we adhere to.
I have to agree with the myriad other posters who state that we have to impeach. If we let this slide, unconfronted, then this has huge ramifiations.
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Cathexis,
Huge ramifications indeed.
V/R
John
John,
I have to agree with Sundialsvc4. If bush has committed high crimes and misdemeanors, he has to be impeached. To do otherwise would send the message that violating the Constitution is acceptable if the president believes it is necessary. We cannot bear this and it will permanently damage the foundation of our government. The legislative branch of the of the government is violating its duties if it does not impeach, and should be condemned as strongly as bush. Impeachment can happen, although there may be no conviction. Impeachment comes from the House and can be voted on at any point. A Senate trial is a different story. While I would hope for conviction, impeachment would be enough. It would be a serious mark on his historical legacy. It would also remind the nation that we honor and revere the Constitution over any one individual. Everyone, call your Representative and demand action on the articles of impeachment laid out by Rep. Kucinich.
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itmaybetoolate,
I agree with you both -- but will it happen? I can't hold my breath for it, sadly.
V/R
John
There is no question this regime must be called to account for its criminality.
There's far more than a blue dress and a white lie in this one.
The first question last year regarding impeachment was: can we make it stick? Constitutional scholars in the Senate could not resoundingly say Yes. The second question: can we in good conscience shut down our government for 16 months while we face other serious challenges? One consequence would have been leaving our troops without armored vehicles and decent equipment. Unacceptable! Without a functioning Congress there would be no MRAPs for starters.
Accountability for this regime is still possible. Kucinich has introduced the measure which may be largely symbolic but is still historic. This time, the judicial committee has members calling for impeachment proceedings rather than voting it down like last time. Conyers has called in Scott McClellan to testify.
What extends beyond impeachment?
Criminal charges.
Whether the Senate would convict him or not (I happen to think that if it all got out there that yes, we could!) at least getting him there would have an effect. We would have FAR less of a chance of a future President (whether Democratic OR Republican) ever acting as bad as this man has done.
I have a lot of respect for former President Ford, but he did us a great disservice by pardoning Tricky Dick, even though he thought that it would start the healing process. Unfortunately, his information at the time was wrong, and all that he gave us was a great festering wound which is just now getting ready to kill us, unless some miracle happens!
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YankeeCanuck,
It must, it should ... but will it? I don't know.
V/R
John
I was just listening to a radio host who had the audacity to claim that "President" Bush was just "acting on information given by the intelligence community" in invading Iraq. This blog was very helpful in refuting that claim.
Yeah, and Tricky Dick had nothing to do with the Watergate break in!
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Sneakerface,
I'm glad it was it was helpful.
Thank you.
V/R
John
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