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Tag(s): CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY; Crime; Crime Murder; Criminal Cover Up; Impeachment
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June 10, 2008 at 16:27:27

Kucinich Makes Case for War Crimes Prosecution

by David Swanson Page 1 of 2 page(s)

www.opednews.com

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If George W. Bush and Dick Cheney are ever impeached, they will certainly be prosecuted and convicted for war (and other) crimes. If they are not impeached, they may still be eventually convicted, but it won't be as easy. Court rooms are not scientific laboratories sealed in a vacuum. What happens in a criminal's society matters, and "My people never impeached me" is a defense that has to be taken seriously.

If Bush is impeached, or if even a serious movement threatens his impeachment, it should ideally be done in such a way as to lay out before the public and potential prosecutors both domestic and international, the crimes, both domestic and international. Of the 35 articles of impeachment that Rep. Dennis Kucinich introduced in the House on Monday night, the most important one to look at is Article VIII. It reads as follows:

INVADING IRAQ, A SOVEREIGN NATION, IN VIOLATION OF THE UN CHARTER AND INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL LAW

In his conduct while President of the United States, George W. Bush, in violation of his constitutional oath to faithfully execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty under Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution "to take care that the laws be faithfully executed", violated United States law by invading the sovereign country of Iraq in violation of the United Nations Charter to wit:

(1) International Laws ratified by Congress are part of United States Law and must be followed as evidenced by the following:

(A) Article VI of the United States Constitution, which states "This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land;"

(2) The UN Charter, which entered into force following ratification by the United States in 1945, requires Security Council approval for the use of force except for self-defense against an armed attack as evidenced by the following:

A) Chapter 1, Article 2 of the United Nations Charter states:

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

"4.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."

(B) Chapter 7, Article 51 of the United Nations Charter states:

"51. Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security."

(3) There was no armed attack upon the United States by Iraq.

(4) The Security Council did not vote to approve the use of force against Iraq as evidenced by:

(A) A United Nation Press release which states that the United States had failed to convince the Security Council to approve the use of military force against Iraq. [UN]

(5) President Bush directed the United States military to invade Iraq on March 19th, 2003 in violation of the UN Charter and, therefore, in violation of United States Law as evidenced by the following:

1 | 2

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http://www.davidswanson.org

DAVID SWANSON is a co-founder of After Downing Street, a writer and activist, and the Washington Director of Democrats.com. He is a board member of Progressive Democrats of America, and serves on the Executive Council of the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild, TNG-CWA. He has worked as a newspaper reporter and as a communications director, with jobs including Press Secretary for Dennis Kucinich's 2004 presidential campaign, Media Coordinator for the International Labor Communications Association, and three years as Communications Coordinator for ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. Swanson obtained a Master's degree in philosophy from the University of Virginia in 1997.

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1 comments

Musician and writer, who has lived and worked on all the continents and whose articles on media have been published in China, Italy, England and the US, and now resides in New York City.
Jay JansonMusician and writer, who has lived and worked on all the continents and whose articles on media have been published in China, Italy, England and the US, and now resides in New York City.

Conyers himself answered, so told him he is most guilty now

Jay Janson reporting that during Kucinich's impeachment bill address,

I called Conyers' D.C. number as VFP mail asked, thinking I would get
his voice mail as it was already evening.

To my surprise Conyers himself answered, so I just politely told him
that I and millions of Americans have come to believe that he is more
responsible than Bush or anyone else for the all the loss of life in
the continuing wars of occupation, because he Conyers is blocking the
impeachment process the only hope Americans have to use
constitutional law to end the wars, and to prosecute the Bush
administration.

Conyers, speaking very slowing repeated me, "Let me get this
straight, you are saying that I am responsible for the wars
now..........." I argued the point politely but firmly and we talked
back and forth as he kept saying, "why don't you let me hear the
man"..... and I kept saying sure go ahead but Conyers seemed truly taken aback and therefore interested in what I was saying to him as a member of the Veterans For Peace, and he kept talking to me. He asked for my telephone # and arefully repeated it and said we would call me. He said it twice, with emphasis. He mentioned that he liked to answer his phone himself.

Just thought other members might like to know how worthwhile it is to
call Conyers.

At one stage in the conversation, I mentioned how many millions of
Americans there were, honest Americans, not capitalists, certainly
not communists who realize most of our elected officials are not
worth talking to and that was why we call him, as someone we hope is
worth talking to. (this is a line from Dancing With Wolves)

happy about VFP efforts,
jay janson
at your service

Repeating VFP ACTION ALERT

TELL CONYERS TO MEET WITH VETERANS
Call Representative John Conyers - Tell him that at this point he, John Conyers blocking impeachment, is more guilty than anyone, Bush, Pelosi etc., for tomorrow's deaths and maiming of Iraqis. 202-225-5126
John Conyers, is more guilty than anyone, even Bush and Pelosi if he continues to block impeachment. Call Representative Conyers (202-225-5126) For with an impeachment, the wars would end and many of our Iraqi brothers and sisters would not be killled during the ongoing U.S. occupation war.Call, and whether or not Conyers calls me back, I will call him again!