Pensacola Independent News

VIEWPOINTS | Vol. 8, No. 6, February 14, 2008
(The Urge to Merge)
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by Scott Satterwhite

IMPEACH BUSH

President George W. Bush gave his final State of the Union address last month, but his true legacy has yet to be written. Saying that, I feel it's safe to say that Bush's presidency will be looked upon as one of the worst in U.S. history, not just because of his arrogance or for the vindictive partisan politics that he brought to the nation, but for the very real crimes that he and Dick Cheney have committed since entering office. All of this leads me to ask why these men have not been impeached yet?

Many Americans throughout the political spectrum are very thankful that this reign is coming to an end. Even Walmart is selling calendars celebrating the end of the Bush presidency (which must be some indicator).

Still, it begs the question: Why has his rule been, and most likely will be, allowed to end when his term expires? Surely, Bush has done more than any sitting U.S. president in recent memory to deserve an impeachment.

Richard Nixon was threatened with impeachment over the break-in of Democratic offices in the Watergate Hotel to spy on his political rivals. Bush has done essentially the same thing to the entire country with his limitless wiretapping. Then, he has the arrogance to demand Congress stop dilly dallying around and give immunity to the phone companies that have illegally tapped your phones since 9/11. But what happens?

When Nixon asked G. Gordon Liddy to break the law to bug a political enemy, he gets the boot. When Bush asks AT&T to break the law and bug, not just al Qaeda but EVERYONE in the country, is there even a slap on the wrist?

Take the war in Iraq. Bill Clinton was impeached because he lied to Congress about his sexual relationships. When the Bush administration lies not only to Congress but the entire country about the reasons we went to war in Iraq, what happens?

Bush and his administration initiated a war of aggression in 2003 that should, by itself, be grounds for impeachment. People were tried by American lawyers for this same crime in Nuremburg, but for some reason all is apparently forgiven.

If this were done by nearly any other country in the world, what would be our reaction? What did we do to Saddam Hussein when he invaded and occupied Kuwait? No one wants to think that an American could be responsible for these crimes, but it is difficult to logically see otherwise.

And who has suffered because of these (war) crimes? To date, nearly 4,000 U.S. service personnel have been killed. Thousands more have wound up with incredible war injuries. Suicide within the armed services is at an all-time high as soldiers are being asked to fight what appears to be an endless war.

For the Iraqis, the people Bush so passionately wanted to liberate, as many as 1 million Iraqis have died. Those who survive Bush's war have had their country turned into hell. The daily chaos that the war brought to Iraq has created one of the greatest refugee crises in recent years.

Don't forget the stripping of rights of U.S. citizens almost at whim and the illegal detention camps in Guantanamo Bay. Even the Bush administration's approval of torture, an interrogation technique that the U.S. Army admits doesn't work, should alone be grounds for impeachment, even trial. But is Bush held accountable?

Few expected Bush's party, which rubber stamped nearly every dirty deed he did, to speak out against his illegal behavior. But when the majority of the American voters sent a Democratic majority to Washington, a change was expected. Instead, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told the "liberal" wing of her party that they could set aside their hopes that Bush would be impeached.

What the Nuremburg lawyers called "Crimes Against Peace" have been mostly ignored by Congress. Also mostly ignored are the multiple times that Bush has obstructed justice in Congress itself. Whether it was the investigation into the "outing" of a CIA agent for political revenge or even the 9/11 investigation, all were met with indignation.

One of the most important legal inquiries in recent memory, the investigation into the events surrounding 9/11, was blocked by the president to the point that his Secretary of State refused to testify under oath. Former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham said that this alone was one of Bush's most impeachable offenses.

Still, barely an audible call for impeachment can be heard anywhere in Congress. If I had a crystal ball, it would predict that the Democratic leadership will ignore the majority of their constituents. Bush will stay in office.

Satisfied that he is the lamest of lame ducks, this will be enough for the red and blue state puppets in Washington.

And Bush, one of the most dangerous men on the planet and emboldened by his total impunity, will likely try in his last days of power to press for yet another war - this time in Iran.

When will Congress wake up? Why has this been allowed to go on for so long? When history looks back on these years, future generations will be asking the same questions. It's worth pondering how we will answer them.

Scott Satterwhite is a regular viewpoint contributor. He's a long-time resident of Pensacola and Veterans for Peace member.

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