(Don't Just) Let It Be
NEW YORK, Nov 27 (IPS) - The scene is a U.S. federal grand jury room. There, impaneled ordinary citizens listen intently as a veteran federal prosecutor asks them to return an indictment unique in U.S. history.Seems to me that Colin Powell could bring down the whole bunch IF he really IS as patriotic and wise as his earlier defections have made him appear.
The charge is conspiracy to defraud the United States. And the defendants are President George W. Bush, Vice President Richard Cheney, former Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and former Secretary of State Colin Powell.
On the first day of grand jury proceedings, the prosecutor addresses the jurors. "Please remember that you must decide the case based solely on the evidence that's presented and applicable law, without regard to prejudice or sympathy. In other words, your politics, and any personal feelings you may have toward the defendants -- positive or negative -- should have no bearing on your deliberations."
The prosecutor then passes out the indictment, reminding jurors, "don't forget your reading glasses..."
The indictment charges that the defendants "did knowingly and intentionally conspire to defraud the United States by using deceit, craft, trickery, dishonest means, false and fraudulent representations, including ones made without a reasonable basis and with reckless indifference to their truth or falsity, and omitting material facts necessary to make their representations truthful, fair and accurate, while knowing and intending that their false and fraudulent representations would influence the public and the deliberations of Congress with authorisation of a preventive war against Iraq, thereby defeating, obstructing, impairing, and interfering with Congress' lawful functions of overseeing foreign affairs and making appropriations."
[(Alas,) none of this (is) likely to happen.]
For Truth, Liberty and Justice, I do so hope that this scenario comes to pass and provides the evidence that the United States of America will get beyond these Dark Days, both within our Democratic Republic, and around the world.
I don't want to sound like a hot head, ranting lunatic lefty here, but...
ReplyDeleteI so believe Bush deserves to be impeached. And I also believe that the others need to get "theirs" too. (I don't know that you can "impeach" the others...I've been wondering about that.)
Bush not only deserves to be impeached for his recklessness, he deserves to be arrested for it. I mean it. He has been so destructive -- to the ENTIRE WORLD -- that it seems as though the consquences should be harsher than mere impeachment.
On Imus this morning, Jay Severin (right wing radio host, who doesn't seem like a loon) called for Bush's impeachment. It was quite a moment.
Bush deserves it.
He may be dragged away in handcuffs yet. The word is, is that he's not going to listen to what the Baker report has to say. He's going to "Stay The Freaking Course."
His behavior is criminal.
Ranting continues...
ReplyDeleteYou know. Why was all of this so hard for so many people to see before the 2004 election? I don't understand that.
I don't understand why so much has changed just now, because of this last election. The handwriting's been on the wall FOR YEARS.
Why was all of this so hard for so many people to see before the 2004 election? I don't understand that.
ReplyDeleteIt's been written on the wall FOR YEARS indeed! The Downing Street memos really caught no one by surprise and are circumstantial supporting evidence anyhow. They merely supply the Motive for the Empirically damning evidence for Impeachment and Conviction of the Administration of Bush 43 for High Crimes AND Misdemeanors.
Fraud, Corruption, and conspiracy wonks be damned! Treason against the Constitution of the US of A.
Fratboy George has failed everyone who ever supported his stated goals of "bringing Democracy to the Middle East," and defending America at home.
I really do hope you're wrong 'bout the effects of the Baker group, BG. JB has never been one of my ideological heroes per se, but I have always admired his Global political intelligence and believe his group will come up with an appropriate, if far from Panaceac, resolution. May GHWB's influence on his whelpling be enough to sway the boy to some semblance of rational action.
Okidoke... Back to Trance (and, uh, work of course.. .-) {-;
You know. Why was all of this so hard for so many people to see before the 2004 election?
ReplyDeleteAnd that, besides all of the political impracticalities involved, is why Bush will never be impeached. The American People (half of them anyway) are complicit in this. Most of them supported the idea of invading Iraq even after we learned about the lack of WMDs.
But Bush and his neo-con cronies have lost all credibility now. Whatever shred of it may be left he will surely misuse in the last two years of his presidency, and that will be the end of it.
Iree, Double D! Without complicity, NO politician in teh USA could possibly get away with shenanigans of such a Deadly Nature.
ReplyDeleteOur neighbors, ourselves, our friends and acquaintances all share the shame, if not explicitly the blame, for the tragedy that has been George Walker Bush's presidency.
Here's hoping the 110th Congress does actually fulfill their task of ameliorating some of the most shameful acts committed and abetted, in Our names, by their predecessors.
Here's hopin' the "lame duck" president gets roasted to perfection by the Rule of Law!
you've said it all people. i'm with ya. i have to put it out of my mind as much as i can or i'd be crazy.
ReplyDeleteNot only the people who voted for the idiot, but those other countries who allied with him - they too are guilty. But, one thing everyone can say is that they were duped. I have to confess: When Colin got up and backed up what the Bushites were saying, for a moment, I gave thought to maybe they were telling the truth. You are right abut Colin, if he were to turn around and say, I was wrong and I was forced by some horrific threat to follow - maybe we could have law and order here again.
ReplyDeleteGood point about all who voted for him being complicit in this horror show. But, you know what? The people who voted for him are the type of people who don't really care (VAST generalization) what there stance was four years ago. They'll turn on a dime. Lots already turned Nov. 7. And they'll rationalize why they voted for him in 2004 and if he keeps this up and keeps this up -- I think they might back impeachment.
ReplyDeleteBush is acting like a crazy person. I keep thinking...
Is it that he doesn't care?
Is it that he's dumb?
Is it that he's that flipping stubborn and spoiled and vain?
If he keeps it up, his only good defense when he's impeached is that he was actually dumb.
But, I don't believe he is. I think it's the combination of being indifferent, stubborn, spoiled and vain.
He just thinks we're all dumb.
He's that arrogant.
....Man! Sorry for ranting over here so much today! But, that guy is on my last nerve.
Forget impeach, go for imprison. They are criminals and people died as the result of what they did. That qualifies them as criminals in any book.
ReplyDeleteIs he stupid...is he dumb? Naw...Ma Babs cloned him to do her bidding...she's the Wizard behind the curtain. She knew she could never be president...so she came up with this diabolical scheme to clone him and make him her puppet. Ma Babs wants chaos to reign. See...she knows women aren't given credit for being able to lead...so she is showing them otherwise. I don't think she thought it would go quite so badly though. She'll have to pull his plug soon I'm afraid...even he was too wood brained for her taste.
ReplyDeleteThanks all y'all!
ReplyDeletePrediction: I don't think the Shrub will be Impeached. There is historical precedent that what his Admin has done deserves it. No question, but I truly believe that the Dems will succumb to the "patriotism" meme and bypass that in favor of simply leaving Iraq As Soon As Possible.
That's not just Hope talking. I think the Neocon Assault has petered out and its Leaders know it, even if their current Commander in Chief is too immature to realize his defeat in this battle for Ideological Hegemony of the Global Marketplace.
Baker's Brigade is gonna try and secure their (the neocons') future prospects by at last letting the U.N. have a crack at failing in the Middle East. I just hope we don't give too little support to that effort.
I'm pretty sure we will, though.
I feel kinda sick thinkin' he'll be let off the hook, but ending my own country's enormous role in the perpetuation of deadly violent recriminations is, IMO, a worth-while trade-off.
My immature response:
ReplyDeleteHow unfair!!! Clinton gets impeached for, well, you know. And Bush does all this and gets off (no pun intended) scot free?
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
My mature response:
You're probably right, MB. But, here's the thing. The violence is never going to stop. Talk about a domino theory! Bush set the wheels in motion that just might start WWIII. The word this morning is that the Baker report kind of mimics John Murtha's idea of pulling back/out/withdrawal. Haven't read *much* yet, but if this gets out of control and Iran comes in to help the Shiites destroy the Sunni's, the Saudis have said they're going in to help the Sunnis.
And I guess that does mean that they'll all be fighting their own battles for once -- which I've believed in since Day One. But, it's also going to be horrific and God awful, watching it all unfold and knowing Bush started it all.
And I end this comment with the immature...Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
History will judge Bush. It will judge him harshly. If we're lucky they'll build that 500 million dollar presidential library they're planning on low lying ground and the whole thing will be under water in 50 years. That's what they'll curse him for in the future, 100 million Americans turned refugee in theor own country because of the flooding of our coastal cities.
ReplyDeletedd, you are right. History *will* judge him. And mock him, if there's any justice at all.
ReplyDeleteI just read over at Alex's site that the nutters on the right are beginning to talk about impeachment. That's very telling. Also, very scary that the enemies of our enemies are becoming our friends.
ReplyDeleteAt the moment Colin Powell can't do much.
ReplyDeleteWhether it's vitamin c or big pleas and speeches from random Americans he needs SOMETHING.
I used to love seeing the word "impeachment" next to Bush.
Now it just seems like a tease.
No doubt that Powell can't do much, Ms. Birdies. If it goes to court, he could testify Honestly about whatever he knew. I'm only thinkin' that such might be quite a bit.
ReplyDeleteI've seen something similar, AG. Wingnuts bashin' Bush 41 as worthy of the big I. As VanillaB says though, right now it still seems naught but a tease. I've ne'er made no bones 'bout how much I think it's deserved and Constitutionally required though.
Ya know that old saying: History is written by the Victors? Well, the nice, truly, incredibly remarkable thing 'bout the advancement of our species' technological abilities, is that we can Uncover the reality of past events. Barring precisely the kind of Fascistic, Big-Brother BS which BushCo's policies and activities made us all here foresee for this country, it will be next to impossible for him and his to hide their duplicity and culpability in the deaths and inhumanities committed against thousands and thousands of human beings.
Who needs History? LMAFAO!!! Absolutely everyone! {-;