Site Presented By
Sunday, Nov 8, 2009
Michael Harold
Published Letters: 498 Editor's Choice: 3
From a prior comment:
that “the murder of members of the United States Armed Forces by a foreign government or its agents is an intolerable act of hostility against the United States,” and demands the government of Iran “take immediate action” to end all forms of support it is providing to Iraqi militias and insurgents. The amendment also mandates a regular report on Iran’s anti-coalition activity in Iraq.
The final vote: 97 Ayes, 0 Nays
The title of the piece: Levin-Lieberman Love Fest - One Step Closer to War on Iran
We've got our "act of war" on the part of Iran fully documented. All we need now is to wait a few months for the product launch.
http://letters.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2007/07/11/various_items/permalink/8dab56bb2e476a7668f203626647acfb.html
Of course they deserve impeachment. They have done more than enough to deserve impeachment.
All of the discussion around impeachment seems to be about 1) whether or not it is worth the effort, given how much it will detract attention and resources away from the real needs of the country and 2) whether or not it is politically expedient in terms of the likely failure to convict and the resulting impact on the 2008 elections.
I don't think it about it like this. I have only one thing on my mind.
Iran.
I believe, in fact I am convinced, that George Bush, Dick Cheney and others have already made up their minds to attack Iran and are completing preparations. I believe that George Bush is fully capable of ordering an attack on Iran without the prior knowledge or consent of Congress. I believe that the US public will not know an attack on Iran has occurred until after the fact -- in other words, until it is too late to stop a war with Iran.
Until last week, everything was in place for a war on Iran except the provocation. Now it can be argued that Lieberman and Biden provided formal consent to a war with Iran by including an amendment to the Senate defense spending bill accusing Iran of funding, training and arming Iraqi militias who "are responsible for the murder of members of the United States Armed Forces”. In other words, accusing Iran of committing an act of war against the US. That vote passed unanimously in the Senate, 97 - 0. This occurred only a few days ago.
There is a certain logic behind a war on Iran.
Iran already has strong oil ties with Europe and Asia. The major oil producers (the Middle East, Russia, and Latin America) are already shifting alliances away from the US and in the direction of Asia and Europe.
With the invasion of Iraq, the US gambled on hegemony in the Middle East and lost. An attack on Iran would be equivalent to a gambler's doubling up on a bet when the gambler is already too far in the hole to pay his (or her) existing losses. It is a desperate act, made by someone who has nothing else to lose.
Last week's Senate vote said everything we need to know about the Democrats likely response to an attack on Iran. They would scream at the tops of their lungs for the sake of the media and then they would fall in line with everyone else because, in times of war, the President is the Commander in Chief and to do anything else would be unpatriotic.
That is why I think it is imperative that we begin impeachment proceedings on Bush and Cheney immediately. The deserve it for the crimes they have committed and they crimes they are determined to commit.
And it could save 65 million innocent people from another criminal war of aggression by the US.
On the other hand, we’ve got a war to end. We’ve got things that we’ve got to keep on doing. So if we do this right, we should give it to the appropriate committees, let them do the hard work that it entails, but we have to do something about health insurance. We have to do something about global warming. We have to end this war. We have to do something about education. And all these other things. About the budget deficit. You have to walk and chew gum at the same. And I know Nancy’s point was, we have to reverse about seven years of this horrific administration’s policies, and she’s fearful of losing steam on that, in that regard.
Doesn't exactly fill you with overwhelming confidence that she has your interests at heart does it? -- Barbara Boxer
Our politicians say they are being practical. They are not being practical at all. They are being deceitful and disingenuous. At this point in time, the one need that supersedes all other needs is the need to preserve our democracy. That is first. Every other good is possible as long as we remain a democracy. Once we go to war with Iran, global warming, healthcare, education, budget deficits and all the rest of it will be off the table. So will all of our relationships with Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. That is not very practical, even for a politician.
What will stop the a war with Iran? What will end the war with Iraq? I think impeachment might. It would also force Bush and Cheney's hand, one way or the other. Right now, I feel like we are negotiating with two kidnappers who are holding a gun to our democracy's head.
In my whole life I never dreamed the US would come to this. Not even with Nixon. This is not the America I was born in. This is not the America I believe in.
Impeachment is the most practical thing we can do right now.
Much of the initial coverage about Fort Hood turned out to be wrong. Is there anything wrong with that?
The accountability imposed by another country for the CIA's kidnapping and torture reveals much about our own.
Fox News' morning show plays to type, talking about whether Muslims in the Army should face "special debriefings"
219 Democrats and one Republican join in favor of the legislation, which passed by a narrow margin
The survivor and author is upset about comparisons some on the right are making to genocide
Salon headlines in your mailbox
