Resolutions to Impeach

About a month ago Representative John Conyers introduced legislation calling for the censure of George Bush, the censure of Dick Cheney, and to create a select committee to investigate the Bush Administration for possible crimes and make recommendations regarding grounds for impeachment.

The first of the three resolutions introduced by Conyers, H.Res.635, asks that the Congress establish a select committee to investigate whether members of the administration made moves to invade Iraq before receiving congressional authorization, manipulated pre-war intelligence, encouraged the use of torture in Iraq and elsewhere, and used their positions to retaliate against critics of the war.

The second resolution, H.Res.636, asks that the Congress to censure the president "for failing to respond to requests for information concerning allegations that he and others in his Administration misled Congress and the American people regarding the decision to go to war in Iraq, misstated and manipulated intelligence information regarding the justification for the war, countenanced torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of persons in Iraq, and permitted inappropriate retaliation against critics of his Administration, for failing to adequately account for specific misstatements he made regarding the war, and for failing to comply with Executive Order 12958." A third resolution, H.Res.637, would censure Cheney for a similar set of complaints.

Seems like a simple reading of the 2003 state of the union speech lends credence to Mr. Conyers’ suspicions that perhaps George Bush did lie when he told the Congress, the American people, and anyone else listening or watching that Iraq was in possession of 26,000 liters of anthrax, 380,000 liters of botulinum toxin, 500 tons – which is one million pounds – of sarin, mustard and nerve agent, 30,000 missiles to deliver the stuff, mobile biological weapons labs, al Qaeda “connections, and uranium from Niger for use in a robust nuclear weapons program”.

While George Bush would blame “faulty intelligence” the emptiness of his position would be exposed by the Downing St memo which claimed that George Bush and Tony Blair and/or their representatives met in the summer of 2002 for the purpose of discussing Iraq. After the meeting the British realized military action was inevitable because George Bush wanted to remove Hussein justified by his “war on terrorism and WMD”.

In fact the British recollection of Downing St was that “the intelligence and the facts were being fixed around the policy” of military action. While here in the states from sea to oil slicked shining sea the issue was reduced to a debate over the definition and use of the word “fixed”. Reality is during his 2003 state of the union speech all of which George Bush claimed Iraq possessed was proven to be false.

Furthermore, the British recall that there post no discussion of post military action period. Thus whether or not one believes that the intelligence was faulty or fixed no one can deny that there is absolutely no excuse for the absolute incompetence which occurred when a post military action wasn’t even discussed let alone planned.

Today the U.S. is portraying a form of government which is in the process of replacing democracy with a more repressive form of government as evidenced by George Bush claiming he is above the law when he says he will continue spying on “suspected terrorists” without a warrant because it’s his job to protect the American people which only reminds me of a rap group’s lyrics about if the police are here to protect us who will protect us against the police.

Another unpleasant reality - George Bush took an oath “…to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” He did not take an oath to protect the American people. Indeed he didn’t really do a good job of protecting America when he was briefed in August of 2001 but then again he was on vacation.

If such words give you comfort before you become too attracted to the warm and fuzzy feeling of a good ol’ boy’s rhetoric it would be well worth remembering that he will also be the one who defines “suspected terrorists” and he has already decided those “suspected terrorists” include but are not limited to nonviolent activists, anti-war groups, the ACLU, the Catholic Worker Movement, and an anti-war Quaker group in Florida.

Even if you’re a true believer and your patriotism is wrapped in the flag you should write to your Congressperson, ask if they are aware of House Resolutions 635, 636, and 637 and the contents thereof. And while you’re at it ask if they do or do not support those resolutions, and what is the basis for their position. And most importantly ask if they will accept responsibility for their action or inaction because make no mistake about it the future of democracy is inextricably woven with the future of House Resolutions 635, 636, and 637. The reality is that when laws are violated and no one is held accountable we are no longer a nation of laws and no longer a democracy.