Democrat Eyes Potential Grounds for Bush Impeachment
Don't laugh; it's an idea that deserves consideration. IF Shrub knowingly lied to and misled the American public in an effort to win public support for a war against Iraq, impeachment SHOULD be an option. It should not, however, be taken lightly.
CONCORD, N.H. (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bob Graham said on Thursday there were grounds to impeach President Bush if he was found to have led America to war under false pretenses.
While Graham did not call for Bush's impeachment, he said if the president lied about the reasons for going to war with Iraq it would be "more serious" than former President Bill Clinton's lie under oath about his sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky.
"If in fact we went to war under false pretenses that is a very serious charge," Graham, the senior U.S. senator from Florida, told reporters in New Hampshire.
"If the standard of impeachment is the one the House Republicans used against Bill Clinton, this clearly comes within that standard," he said.
Democrats and some Republicans have raised questions about the unsubstantiated claim Bush made in his January State of the Union speech that Iraq was seeking uranium from Africa in its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction.
Graham raises an excellent point, although it does smack a bit too much of a desperate Presidential candidate trying to scores some style points. If Bill Clinton were in office and this had happened, you can bet that Republicans would have been racing each other to the courthouse in paroxysms of righteous indignation to see who could impeach him first. Yes, Clinton lied, but at least no one died because of his deception. If Bush knowingly lied, there is no reason that he should not be held to the same standard.
I supported the war on Iraq, albeit with some profoundly mixed emotions. Now I find myself wondering if my support wasn't obtained based on lies and deception. Impeachment as an option may be a bit strong, but given the stonewalling coming out of the Administration it should certainly be held open as an option. If Shrub had any decency at all, he would at least consider resigning. Americans deserve better than deception, misrepresentation, and hypocrisy packaged as "leadership".
