Kucinich: IMPEACHMENT Back On Table "If Bush Attacks Iran"

[kpete]

Democratic presidential candidate Kucinich warns, 'If Bush attacks Iran, all bets are off'

Miriam Raftery
Published: Sunday January 14, 2007

While making an unannounced appearance at a media reform conference on Friday, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) - a candidate for president in 2004 and already announced for 2008 - was pressed by bloggers in attendance about impeachment.

.........................

Impeachment and Iran

Bloggers pressed Kucinich about the impeachment issue. While agreeing that the administration should ultimately be held accountable under international law, Kucinich opposed immediate impeachment proceedings. "We must keep the focus on our troops, Kucinich said. "The minute impeachment is on the table, this President will accelerate the war even more."

But he added, "if Bush attacks Iran, all bets are off." Later he added, "We need to safeguard our Constitution." If the President takes steps towards another war, Kucinich warned, Congress could make "an active effort" toward impeachment.

"The President is clearly trying to provoke Iran," he said, adding that the Bush administration is "treading on the thinnest ice it has ever been on

more at:
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2007/Kucinich_If_Bush_attacks_Iran_all_0114.html

[MadMaddie]

1. Go Kucinich Go!! Get it out in open and make it part of Americans

everyday conversation.

It's time for the bastard and his cronies to go down. It can't be just * it has to be all of them.

[blogslut]

2. I hope so, Dennis

I hope so.

[yellerpup]

3. Kick for Kucinich!

Beg, pray, work for impeachment. :kick:

[onehandle]

4. He said, "The minute impeachment is on the table, this President will accelerate the war even more."

"But he added, "if Bush attacks Iran, all bets are off." Later he added, "We need to safeguard our Constitution." If the President takes steps towards another war, Kucinich warned, Congress could make "an active effort" toward impeachment."

Your headline is a bit misleading.


Anyway, after investigation, if Bush is guilty of a crime he impeachment will come up.

Anyone think he's guilty of a crime?

You can't impeach Bush for attacking Iran.

[Tom Joad]

18. Hasn't Dennis read the headlines?

I like Kucinich, but it seems like Bush has already taken steps to attack Iran, and accelerate the war.

I do think cutting all funds for the war should be the first step, and in every way placing roadblocks for bush to keep the troops in Iraq (continued funding of the war is the worst kind of abandonment of US GI's i can imagine).

Voting against funding, and voting for a repeal of the Iraq War Resolution.

[midnight]

52. This is so sensible that we should do it right now.....

Stop the funding. Please.

[mzmolly]

22. Impeachment:

For the executive branch, only those who have allegedly committed "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors" may be impeached. Although treason and bribery are obvious, the Constitution is silent on what constitutes a "high crime or misdemeanor." Several commentators have suggested that Congress alone may decide for itself what constitutes an impeachable offense. In 1970, then-Representative Gerald R. Ford defined the criteria as he saw it: "An impeachable offense is whatever a majority of the House of Representatives considers it to be at a given moment in history."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment

[onehandle]

33. Technically, yes.

But I don't see Bush impeached if no laws have been broken.

And they have, so I believe he will be impeachable.

Cheney first. We don't want a Democratic President by default sitting there in 2008.

[mzmolly]

43. Cheney first sounds good, but who would Bush choose for VP?

Can't we get em both in one shot? ;)

[onehandle]

44. Probably, but no President Pelosi.

Which is why she said impeachment is "off the table."

Who would Bush pick? Whoever Rove tells him to. **shiver**

[Jim Sagle]

23. Actually we can. It's called congressional oversight. Check into it.

[cyclezealot]

54. attacking Iran without UN sanctions is breaking the law

THe President is required by his oath to adhere to international treaties.

[Countdown_3_2_1]

57. What treaty says we have to have UN approval to go to war?

There was NO approval for this current war.
I do not remember UN approval for Afghanistan.

Israel is going to strike Iran anyways...they won't have approval.
I don't think there is any check on the President outside of congress.

[cyclezealot]

58. Should we be attacked, no need to consult the UN.

BThe Organization and its Members, in pursuit of the Purposes stated in Article 1, shall act in accordance with the following Principles.

The Organization is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its Members.

All Members, in order to ensure to all of them the rights and benefits resulting from membership, shall fulfill in good faith the obligations assumed by them in accordance with the present Charter.

All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered.

All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the
Purposes of the United Nations.

snip.

The Articles of the United Nations.Constituional scholars will disagree with what this means? Should your country be attacked, then Article Two does not apply. Don't think Iran has attacked us.so far. We attacked them. Proper procedure is to go the the UN first. That's why John Kennedy went to the UN before he threated war over the Cuba missle crisis. Might affect issues like war crimes and reparations in the International court.

[EFerrari]

5. Thank you, Dennis.

:applause:

[FredStembottom]

6. I hope K has tacit "authority" to be saying this.

And that Reid and Pelosi have made him their trial balloon.

:shrug:

[Tom Joad]

15. I have not seen any evidence that Pelosi would care if Iran were

wiped off the face of the earth.

[Taverner]

7. The Kuch is the only candidate I'm behind 100%

Go Kuch!

[partylessinOhio]

8. Dennis Kucinich just keeps growing and growing in stature.

How I wish my district could be taken from Tubbs-Jones and moved into his!

Go Dennis!

[timtom]

9. I love Kucinich (platonically, of course)

but the time to remove this cancer is BEFORE any more irreparable damage is done!

[pberq]

10. Kick & Nominated

[Pierzin]

11. Thank You Dennis!! But it should still be on table, regardless.

The entire administration are crooks, liars and deceivers of the worst order.
Why should we beleive anything they say? Kuch has my support for prez over anyone else at this point.

[Clark2008]

29. Actually, I think it's just over on the buffet table while the

investigations are getting carved on the dining table.

;)

[TheCowsCameHome]

12. If Idiot Bush attacks Iran, impeachment will be the least of our worries

[IndyOp]

13. Yeppers. (n/t)

[SusanaMontana41]

34. Yup

[TheCowsCameHome]

36. Welcome to DU, SusanaMontana41

[Tom Joad]

14. So if a mushroom cloud is seen over Tehran, Then we have permission to impeach?

Too little, too late.

[BayCityProgressive]

16. eXACTLY

I love Kucinich but this is flawed...he needs to go NOW!

[CrazyForKucinich]

50. I agree...

Action must be taken now.

[SammyWinstonJack]

60. They keep drawing that line in the sand and chimp keeps crossing it.

:shrug:

[Vanje]

17. We need Pre-emptive Impeachmet

When Bush attacks Iran it will be too late.

[Tom Joad]

19. It won't be preemptive, as Bush has already participated in a war of

aggression against Iraq, and numerous other crimes against humanity and in violation of US laws.

[liberal renegade]

20. Maybe we can convince Kindasleezy

to give him a presidential hummer, we'll then have the ammo needed to ITMFA.

[mzmolly]

21. I find this portion highly interesting:

"We must keep the focus on our troops, Kucinich said. "The minute impeachment is on the table, this President will accelerate the war even more."

Seems like we have a bit of leverage, but are tentative with a madman in charge? Seems he's saying the reason we're not heading toward impeachment is because we fear what Bush will do in Iraq?

[kpete]

24. That was my take as well...

Beware of the "madman in charge"...

[mzmolly]

27. With good reason!

Sheesh, what a nightmare.

[Jim Sagle]

26. I fear what he'll do to US if we impeach him.

Starting with martial law and descending from there.

[mzmolly]

28. Yikes.

Nothing is beyond comprehension, no?

[Jim Sagle]

32. My sense is that he would botch this as well.

The military is no longer behind him.

[blues90]

25. Won't it be a bit late by then ?

If bush and cheney do attack Iran who's to stop it then ? Once this can is open there is no force on earth who can get the lid back on this disaster .

[mmonk]

30. Impeachment should not be just relegated to

what happens in Iraq or with Iran.

[Zhade]

41. Yeah, I love DK, but b*s* is already culpable for a lot of crimes.

Impeachment is necessary, or we can finally accept that this country DOESN'T care about justice, the Constitution, and the rule of law.

Gotta disagree with DK's approach here.

[hootinholler]

31. Pssst! Hey Dennis! Over here, does attacking an Iranian Consulate count?

After all if China raided our consulate offices wouldn't that be an act of war?

-Hoot

[Swamp Rat]

35. If we wait until Bushler attacks Iran, it will be too late.

[demigoddess]

37. the second he gives the order , it should be impeachment passed

hope the generals delay long enough

[MasonJar]

38. Isn't the impeachment threat related to Iran because Congress

has NOT sanctioned such an action? It would be unConstitutional and thereby illegal.

[in_cog_ni_to]

39. WTG, Dennis!

Congress COULD make an active effort, but WILL THEY? That is the question.:(

[porphyrian]

40. I'll kick that. - n/t

[Time for change]

42. That's fine to put impeachment back on the table for Bush attacking Iran

But it would be far far better to go with a pre-emptive impeachment, in order to PREVENT Bush from attacking Iran. Of course, it wouldn't really be 'pre-emptive', since there is more than enough evidence to impeach him several times over.

[WiseButAngrySara]

45. Go Kooch! and please God let this b*tard be imPEACHED!

:kick: & R!

Thanks for the millionth time kpete

[mdmc]

46. Anything less is uncivilized!

:kick:

[Dinger]

47. I LOVE Dennis! Why The Hell Isn't He On The Sunday Talk Shows???

K & R!! For Dennis!!!

[TheFarseer]

48. I'm not in favor of impeachment

but if he invades Iran, everybody will be in favor of impeachment - republicans too.

[Slothrope]

56. Look For An Osirak-Type Air Strike

I think sending ground troops to Iran is off CENTCOM's plate. They'll lean heavily on high tech stuff.

[newyawker99]

62. Hi Slothrope!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Jacobin]

49. He needs to be impeached BEFORE hand

[raysr]

51. It'll be too late then Dennis. n/t

[cyclezealot]

53. Dennis. Makes me proud.

Restores my faith, politics is worth our efforts. Dennis makes his supporters proud.

[Rottenmac]

55. I didnt realize...

it was ever OFF the table. I must say, I am sick and tired of Dem's too scared to do the right thing, in the event that they will be seen as vindictive, mean, petty, etc. Just impeach the bastards and deal with it. The US and its constitution are too precious to curry favor, or think about your re-election.

Do what's right, and re-election be damned!

[The Count]

59. It could be a deterrent - if the others STFU...Unfortunately, I see Biden, Joe

and even some in the House undercutting him.

[focusfan]

61. I wish Congress would impeach Bush anyways.

he needs to be throwed out of Office anyways.

[Oak2004]

63. It's our job to make them do it

If enough Americans demand impeachment, he'll be impeached.

[mdmc]

64. Kucinich

:kick: