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.

Comments

[johnwinner]

Like Clinton during the primaries, the Republicans are banking everything on the hope that a person of color cannot get elected. They will bury themselves with their own sleazy innuendo and open insults, like the laughable "terrorist fist bump" chrage that flies in the face of the experience of every American who has even watched a recent movie with black performers in it. But trash like this is all they have - they are committed to policies that are now clearly destructive, and are exhausted by failure. They are rather sad in being so frozen in a shameful past. And they will learn the hard way the lesson Hillary now, to her benefit, has accepted - Obama is a brilliant politician who knows how to 'work it;' and he also has the quality Napoleon once said is all important - he's lucky. He also represents the desperate need for positive change most Americans feel. He will win by a landslide.

[John Bruhns - Huffpost Blogger]

johnwinner,

I share your analysis -- let's hope we're right.

V/R

John

[hopeless277]

The failure of the Democratic leadership in congress to even slow down Bush's war has been disgraceful. The failure of the Democratic leadership in congress to hold ANYONE accountable for the hundreds of thousands of HUMAN BEINGS slaughtered in Iraq is unforgivable. And the reason why? So that they could keep their cushy 4 day a week jobs, free meals, free travel, free healthcare, and free postage. Nancy Pelosi is worse than George W. Bush. She is the cop that has been bought by the mob. She is the DA who turns a blind eye to corruption in her own office. She is the traitor who would trade the lives of men, women, and children for her own ambition and comfort. Nancy Pelosi is the lowest human being on the planet. Willing to sacrifice others so that she can live in luxury and amass political power. I am truly ashamed to be a Democrat. I am truly ashamed to be an American.

[John Bruhns - Huffpost Blogger]

hopeless277,

You said "Nancy Pelosi is worse than George W. Bush." Thats a bit strong I must say. However, I understand your frustration.

V/R
John

[SpoxLogic]

Unfortunately Mr Bruhns,, political power trumps what is right again. The Democratic Congressional leadership is more focused on power than on doing what would be right for the country. For the past several years, I often wondered how it was that the admin could get away with the crap they've been doing.

First, I realized that as long as the GOP ws in power, nothing would happen. Imagine my surprise when nothing changed after the 2006 electtions. The Dems are trying to set up for a power grab. They may pull it off, but I wonder what will happen if they do? Will much change or will they become overly enamoured with the new found power?

Judging by the lack of ethical guts being currently displayed, I am not holding out for anything exemplary happening.

[John Bruhns - Huffpost Blogger]

SpoxLogic,

As you said: "Imagine my surprise when nothing changed after the 2006 electtions­." My surprise too.

V/R

John

[BJD]

Great post. It is amazing how the war has been put on the back burner. It has been minmized in the media to the extent that McCain said the surge has worked and violence is down and many people accept this as truth. When will we stand up and hold those accountable for what they have done? When will we not accept what is politically best and do what is right and just? I agree with your assessment that Bush will probably never be impeached. How sad that all we can hope for is that they live with this disgrace. I doubt that it means very much to them.

[John Bruhns - Huffpost Blogger]

BJD,

I'm with you -- I also doubt it means very much to them.

V/R
John

[WorkingClass]

"I think I just finally accepted the sad reality that there will be no accountability".

Welcome to the club John. Support Cindy Sheehan.

http://www.cindyforcongress.org/

[John Bruhns - Huffpost Blogger]

WorkingClass,

Thanks for the reply.

V/R

John

[Sundialsvc4]

I believe that to say that "it's a risk not worth taking" is Unconstitutional.

The Supreme Law of the Land says that "any civil officer SHALL be Impeached.­"

You can't decide not-to-prosecute a war criminal because you're worried about an upcoming election. You can't even "put it 'off the table' for no reason at all."

[John Bruhns - Huffpost Blogger]

Sundialsvc4,
I agree -- that it is unconstitutional. It is sad that I have accepted unaccountability, but I am not placing stock in Congress impeaching Bush because I just don't believe it will happen. Who knows, maybe they'll prove me wrong.

V/R
John