The Raw Story | Kucinich: ‘Impeachment may well be the only remedy which remains to stop a war

[groovychk]

Originally published at Twixel.net. You can comment here or there.

The Raw Story | Kucinich: ‘Impeachment may well be the only remedy which remains to stop a war of aggression against Iran’
During a speech on the House floor on Thursday, Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) declared that “impeachment may well be the only remedy which remains to stop a war of aggression against Iran.” The 2004 presidential candidate, who is running again in 2008, told RAW STORY that his House floor statement “speaks for itself.”

“This House cannot avoid its constitutionally authorized responsibility to restrain the abuse of Executive power,” Kucinich said on the floor today. “The Administration has been preparing for an aggressive war against Iran. There is no solid, direct evidence that Iran has the intention of attacking the United States or its allies.”

Kucinich noted that since the US “is a signatory to the U.N. Charter, a constituent treaty among the nations of the world,” and Article II states that “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,” then “even the threat of a war of aggression is illegal.”

“Article VI of the U.S. Constitution makes such treaties the Supreme Law of the Land,” Kucinich continued. “This Administration, has openly threatened aggression against Iran in violation of the U.S. Constitution and the U.N. Charter.”

Comments

[kyrie1618.livejournal.com]

Hard to tell how much of this is posturing.

Usually when one nation threatens to invade another, it's an empty threat. But the US has recently started two wars. They might actually attack Iran.

When a presidential candidate threatens to impeach somebody, I figure he's just trying to attract attention to himself. Is Kucinich just trying to play catch-up with Obama and Clinton?

Until they actually do what they say they will, it's hard to know whether to believe them or not.

So I hereby dare Kucinich to impeach Bush before Bush attacks Iran. I'm curious. Will he do it? If he doesn't he's a liar and I don't want him president.

What do we know about Kucinich? I've never heard of him before.

After having read up on Kucinich...

[kyrie1618.livejournal.com]

I think I like this dood. Generally he seems like a troublemaker of the kind I like.

Against:
USA Patriot Act of 2001
PATRIOT Act Reauthorization bill
Real ID Act of 2005
Secure Fence Act of 2006
Military Commissions Act of 2006

For:
Patriot Act Amendment - Library Records "eliminating the ability of federal officials to search library and bookstore records."
Authorization for Use of Military Force (2001 Sep 14) "To authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against those responsible for the recent attacks launched against the United States."

---
Various quotes from "Dennis the Menace"

Yet the defense budget grows with more money for weapons systems to fight a cold war which ended, weapon systems in search of new enemies to create new wars. This has nothing to do with fighting terror. This has everything to do with fueling a military industrial machine with the treasure of our nation, risking the future of our nation, risking democracy itself with the militarization of thought which follows the militarization of the budget.

The lives of our troops are on the line. The war cannot be won militarily. Why do we stay? Why do we tell our troops to keep fighting? Who is going to explain to the families of the troops the consequences of Congress' decision? And why isn't our Democratic Party taking the leadership to immediately end the war? We can do it. We don't have to give the administration another $120 billion to keep the war going. We don't have to let more troops die and have more civilian casualties.

Because we did not authorize the invasion of Iraq.
We did not authorize the invasion of Iran.
We did not authorize the invasion of North Korea.
We did not authorize the bombing of civilians in Afghanistan.
We did not authorize permanent detainees in Guantanamo Bay.
We did not authorize the withdrawal from the Geneva Convention.
We did not authorize military tribunals suspending due process and habeas corpus.
We did not authorize assassination squads.
We did not authorize the resurrection of COINTELPRO.
We did not authorize the repeal of the Bill of Rights.
We did not authorize the revocation of the Constitution.
We did not authorize national identity cards.
We did not authorize the eye of Big Brother to peer from cameras throughout our cities.
We did not authorize an eye for an eye.
Nor did we ask that the blood of innocent people, who perished on September 11, be avenged with the blood of innocent villagers in Afghanistan.
We did not authorize the administration to wage war anytime, anywhere, anyhow it pleases.
We did not authorize war without end.
We did not authorize a permanent war economy.

This House cannot avoid its constitutionally authorized responsibility to restrain the abuse of executive power. The administration has been preparing for an aggressive war against Iran. There is no solid, direct evidence that Iran has the intention of attacking the United States or its allies. The U.S. is a signatory to the U.N. Charter, a constituent treaty among the nations of the world. Article II, section 4, of the U.N. charter states, ``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.' Even the threat of a war of aggression is illegal. Article VI of the U.S. Constitution makes such treaties the supreme law of the land. This administration has openly threatened aggression against Iran in violation of the U.S. Constitution and the U.N. Charter.

This week, the House Appropriations Committee removed language from the Iraq war funding bill requiring the administration under Article I, section 8, clause 11 of the Constitution to seek permission before it launched an attack against Iran. Since war with Iran is an option of this administration and such war is patently illegal, then impeachment may well be the only remedy which remains to stop a war of aggression against Iran.