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***************BEFORE YOU READ PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT I DID NOT MEAN THIS POST TO BE DISRUPTIVE, I MERELY WANTED TO INITIATE AN HONEST DISCUSSION ABOUT THE IMPEACH MOVEMENT AMONG THESE BOARDS THAT I HAVE READ SO INTENTLY OVER THE YEARS, THIS IS MY FIRST MAJOR POST AND I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR RESPONSES AND ENGAGING IN MORE OF THE DEBATE HERE******************************************************************
As much as I despise our leaders lying to us, and as much as I would NEVER vote for the man (didn't in 2000, wont in 2004), what he did with the war in Iraq is simply not am impeachable offense.
"The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of , Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."
Lying in the State of the Union Address is not illegal, President Clinton, for all of his merits lied under oath to a Grand Jury and thus committed felony perjury, an impeachable offense. Whether or not he was backed into a corner my his political opponents is a matter for the historians and political scientists. However, in my field, (law, granted it is military law, but still...) there is no doubt that President Clinton committed a crime and was caught and therefore had committed an impeachable offense.
President Bush, on the other hand, has yet to have a truly impeachable charge SURFACE (but I'm not saying that one won't). I perused the website, which makes good points about the intent and reasoning of impeachment, but falls short on the actual charges that it makes, I'll examine a few here:
"1. Ordering and directing "first strike" war of aggression against Afghanistan causing thousands of deaths;
2. Removing the government of Afghanistan by force and installing a government of his choice;
4. Authorizing, ordering and condoning attacks in Afghanistan and Iraq on civilians, civilian facilities and locations where civilian casualties are unavoidable;
6. Threatening the independence and sovereignty of Iraq by belligerently proclaiming his personal intention to change its government by force;"
Both actions outside the realm of US Law, which is the only law that the US Senate is allowed to try a person under.
"3. Authorizing daily intrusions into Iraqi airspace and aerial attacks including attacks on alleged defense installations in Iraq which have killed hundreds of people in time of peace;"
Actions which began in the waning days of George I, and was continued all thoroughout the Clinton years with increased vigor. Also under international law.
"5. Threatening the use of nuclear weapons and ordering preparation for their use;"
A tactic used by every cold war president with the possible exception of Ford and Carter. Hardly a notable distinction, and also a matter of international law.
"7. Authorizing, ordering and condoning assassinations, summary executions, murder, kidnappings, secret and other illegal detentions of individuals, torture and physical and psychological coercion of prisoners;
8. Authorizing, ordering and condoning violations of rights of individuals under the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Eight Amendments to the Constitution"
The prosoners in question are not American citizens and are not granted the protection of any of the amendments to the constitution. This is a matter of Geneva Convention Articles, also out of the jurisdiction of the Senate.
"and of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and other international protections of human rights;"
All non-enforcable agreements to which citizens of the United States are not legally bound. The only body equipped to convict for such violations is the ICC, of which the United States is not a member and therefore is not subject to.
"9. Authorizing, directing and condoning bribery and coercion of individuals and governments to obtain his war ends;"
The only truly promising charge on the site, if enough evidence exists to prove this statement than the Articles of Impeachment could be justifiably brought up in the House.
"10. Making, ordering and condoning false statements and propaganda and concealing information vital to public discussion and informed judgment to create a climate of fear and hatred and destroy opposition to his war goals"
See Above
As it stands now, the case for impeachment is about as thin as the case for WMD's in Iraq, therefore the only thing to do is wait it out and simply demand a change in leadership in '04 speak at the ballot box and "GO, BOB, GO".
Shalom,
L.R.
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