My recent trip to Turkey opened my eyes further to anti-American hatred. As more and more people in the occupied countries of Afghanistan and Iraq are being killed by American troops or by violence that didn't exist before America existed in their countries, the intensity of the hostility is escalating along with the escalating violence. At a "peace" conference I attended in Istanbul, I was appalled when attendee after attendee rose up from the audience to commend my fellow panelist, an Iraqi scientist, on the insurgency in Iraq that was giving the world "hope" by staving off the self entitled "mightiest military in history." I was as appalled because a violent insurgency was applauded as I am appalled that a violent regime in DC is still in power to continue devastating the world that encourages people to place their hope in the Iraqi resistance.
I want to live in a country that gives hope to the world. I want to live in a country that decreases world stability instead of foments and celebrates it. I want to live in a country that listens to its citizens and not the lobbyists of the war profiteers. I want to live in a country that doesn't use its precious sons and daughters to kill other people's precious sons and daughters. I want to live in the USA and that's why I want Bloody George and Doomsday Dick to be impeached.
I had the honor over this past weekend to travel the state of Vermont (in the Yellow Rose of Texas VFP and Camp Casey Bus) with impeachment activists that included Dan DeWalt, who began the impeachment movement in Vermont, and John Nichols, associate editor of The Nation and author of The Genius of Impeachment, which puts the impeachment of the Bush Regime in crystal clear historical focus. Also along were three superbly intelligent and articulate Iraq Vets Against the War: Drew Cameron, Matt Howard, and Adrienne Kinne.
We made 13 stops across Vermont (which is bigger than it looks) and found ourselves settling into a routine. First the Iraq Vets would speak. Adrienne was an Arabic linguist for 10 years and knew the intelligence our country was gleaning from such sources as Ahmed Chalabi was false because she, using her brain, figured out he had much to gain from the invasion of Iraq. When she brought this up to her commander, he accused her of not supporting their unit or the mission. Adrienne now works in a VA hospital in Vermont and hears tragic tales of why our vets have PTSD. Stories of soldiers who were driving down the road in a sandy country that they had no business being in one minute and who awaken to find themselves covered in blood with body parts in their laps, not knowing if it was their own or one of their buddies.
Matt, a Marine, and Drew, a soldier, told horror stories of lack of body armor, lack of enough food and the killing of innocent women and children. The young vet's points basically boiled down to this: as our VA hospitals are falling apart and soldiers are committing suicide, because even if the harmed soldier wanted to, they can't get a bed in a VA facility, the illegal occupation of a country that Bloody George wants to make worse is creating more damaged veterans that will be refused, or criminally delayed, treatment from the very government that hurt them in the first place.
John Nichols would then arise and talk about the founding of our country and the genius of the founding fathers that built impeachment into our constitution, which mentions impeachment six times and God zero. Impeachment was our founder's way of insuring that no branch of the government, but especially the executive branch got too powerful or tyrannical. With the fire of an evangelist, John would relevantly quote Jefferson, Madison, and Adams with alacrity and wisdom. Then John would introduce me.
By the time I would speak, the crowd had heard about the atrocity and senselessness of war. John would give them the historical background and reasons for impeachment (i.e.,: starting wars of aggression based on lies; torture; Katrina; and spying on Americans without permission to name a few) and my job was to put impeachment into the present day and explain future implications.
My imperative for impeachment does not come out of a sense of revenge. If I wanted revenge, I would be calling for something more harmful than impeachment. Justice is one of the reasons I want impeachment. Peace is one of the reasons I want impeachment. Accountability is one of the reasons I want impeachment, but the overriding reason that I want impeachment is for the future.
I believe a mammoth amount of Americans think Vietnam was a wrong-headed war and atrocities and crimes against humanity were committed. However, the main architects of that disgusting crime of that century left their offices to go on to lead happy and healthy lives of ease. Johnson went back to Texas to bar-be-que; Nixon returned to California to golf; McNamara went on to be president of the World Bank (which seems to be a reward for planning horrid wars); and Kissinger is back in the saddle advising the cowboy of killing. If even one of the above mentioned murderers had been impeached and imprisoned, maybe George would not have thought he was above the law and maybe he wouldn't have felt so comfortable leading our country into disaster a la the war he spent a lot of time avoiding himself.
It is urgent and necessary that we impeach the criminals who inhabit the highest offices of the world to insure the future peace of the world.
Impeachment is absolutely mandatory so the crooks be held accountable for their crimes so America can be the shining city on the hill that the rest of the world can look towards with hope and confidence in her wisdom.
Impeachment is a constitutional requirement that must not be expediently avoided and must be set back on the table as the first course.
Dozens of towns in Vermont will be voting on impeachment resolutions in their town meetings this Tuesday, March 6 as a people's antidote for the political temerity of Congress. If Congress won't do their constitutional duty, then we the people will.
Vermont, the world is watching. Be the glowing beacon that leads our country down a path of justice and peace.
The hope of the world is counting on you.
Cindy Sheehan is the mother of Spc. Casey Austin Sheehan, who was KIA in Iraq on 04/04/04. She is a co-founder and President of Gold Star Families for Peace and the author of two books: Not One More Mother's Child and Dear President Bush.
Wonderful essay, Cindy, and as always, I wish you well. You might remember me from the old days, before the media circus, for bringing up the book "Mask of Sanity." Since then, I've developed my web site to try to help, since I don't have any other means. I support your efforts of impeachment, but maybe it might help things along if the public REALLY understood that it is in their interests to "avoid retaliation." Does America have to relive the German people's experience after Hitler's madness.
For example: On 13 February 1945 Dresden was bombed; the priceless city of Dresden that had thought itself protected by its cultural heritage. ... Out of 28,4100 houses in the inner city of Dresden, 24,866 were destroyed. An area of 15 square kilometers was total destroyed.
From: The Lost Life of Eva Braun (2006), page 399-400.
I understand we have the so-called "Homeland Security," but can Americans really allow "psychopaths" to go around "smacking hornet's nests" in America's name and without repercussions. I suspect that's what we call "anti-American" feelings.
Cindy, thanks for all the hard work you and your groups have done. It is very appreciated by those who truly understand.
Respectfully,
Edward Ulysses Cate
by
Edward Ulysses Cate (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 221 comments)
on Thursday, March 8, 2007 at 11:33:47 AM
I was at a world can't wait event at the press club and we called Mike Malloy together. I had a couple of beers that night but I meant everything I said about hoping that you find some peace some day.I am sitting here crying for you. I can't imagine how this has to feel to you, the hurt, there just can't be any words for it. But still you HAVE TO KNOW YOU DIDN'T FAIL CASEY. A country shouldn't send it's children to die for lies and a soldier should be able to trust that his country won't ever do that to him. Also joining the military is similar to joining a police force in that there are inherant dangers involved (not a decision to take lightly). I am sure that Casey was a very bright young man (boy as you put it). You didn't make him do this. PLEASE DON'T BLAME YOURSELF FOR THIS.
No one could have seen this coming. Who would have guessed (besides the insiders and Alex Jones of course) that our own govt. would commit an act of terror against us using Al Ciada (911) so that it could have a green light to lie about the war on terror and invade iraq or the entire planet for that matter in it's quest for the new world order? Next it's the NAU. Who'd have thunk it? It IS NOT your fault love. I'm so sorry that your baby is gone. I'm so sorry that our elections are stolen and that we the people have lost all control of our government, which resulted in Casey's death. I'm so sorry that you as one woman stepped right out in front of this runaway train and were run over by it. CASEY WOULD BE SO PROUD OF YOU FOR YOUR BRAVERY. Oh god I wish I could bring him back to you. You're not a whore, you're an angel and america was too stupid to see it and just how much we needed you.
I know that nothing that I or anyone could ever say will ever even begin to take the hurt away. I wish I could but I can't. I'M SO SORRY. Hugs, kisses, tears and lots of love.
Tiff
by
tiffane (4 articles, 2 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 46 comments)
on Saturday, June 2, 2007 at 12:47:00 AM
2 comments
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