The history of the last four years has proven that the Bush administration cooked intelligence and lied to obtain the original Authorization for Use of Military Force ("AUMF"), which was then immediately abused to launch an unprovoked and unwarranted invasion and indefinite occupation of Iraq. Yet, even as the strategic disaster in Iraq lurches further out of control day by day, the Bush administration is still talking about even more irrational plans to light a bigger powder keg in Iran. As reported by Seymour Hersh, Cheney arrogantly stated just before the elections that even were the Democrats to take back the Congress they would find some way around any legislative restrictions to pursue their insanity option in Iran.
Well we DID take back Congress. And the first thing Congress must do to reassert adult control over the petulant White House is to cancel the 2001 AUMF. Not only was it used to justify preemptive imperialism in Iraq, it has been trotted out incessantly since to excuse the illegal domestic wiretaps, the program of torture and secret detentions in violation of the Geneva convention, and every other manner of defiance of Congress and the federal courts since. It was NOT an authorization to unilaterally violate the Constitution, but it has been taken as such, and accordingly it MUST go.
A simple majority of Congress is all that is required to restore the appropriate and just balance of powers, to at least require the executive to have the express consent of Congress before any ill-advised new military misadventure. Only withdrawing the AUMF can send a message that foreign policy run amok will no longer be the order of the day.
The one click form below will send your personal message to all your government representatives selected below, with the subject "Terminate the Authorization for Use of Military Force." At the same time you can send your personal comments only as a letter to the editor of your nearest local daily newspaper if you like, and be added to the Voters For Peace Pledge.
...the morning after the AUMF passed thinking this was going to be trouble (living in Texas in the late 90s, I had a lot more experience dealing with shifty George than most of the country or congress at that time).
But rescinding it seems as though it could be an equally poor move. Bush has used this as justification over and over again while Dems screamed that he was moving beyond its boundaries. To remove it now would be a tacit acknowledgment that it, in fact, grants Bush the authority he claimed rather than him simply having broke the law repeatedly citing the AUMF as justification. If the AUMF does NOT grant the authority for Bush to behave as he is, then what need is there to rescind it?
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Jay Daverth (19 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 5 comments)
on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 at 8:37:02 AM
You make a good point. They should pass a bill that declares that the AUM is rescinded AND that Bush has gone beyond the authorization, abusing his powers. They could spell it out in the bill. Still, I'd be happy to take away one tool Bush/cheney could use to start more war. They could also pass a bill rescinding the AUM, making clear that they do not acknowledge that Bush operated within the purview of it.
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Rob Kall (869 articles, 4014 quicklinks, 345 diaries, 1846 comments)
on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 at 12:52:22 PM
However, I think that removing the ability to wage unnecessary war (by any legal means they can) of our illegitimate preznit is more important at this point or that imbecile just may kill everyone in Iran and irradiate the entire middle east.
And hey, perhaps there is a way that they can do both? A way that they can pass legislation reaffirming that bush does not have that type of "power" in the first place, and in the process reclaiming their authority over him. I don't recall specifics, but it's been done before.
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RCG (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 348 comments)
on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 at 11:12:23 AM
TO: Letters-to-the-Editor
The Muskogee Phoenix Newspaper
P. O. Box 1968
Muskogee, OK 74402
FROM: Larry W. Bryant
3518 Martha Custis Drive
Alexandria, VA 22302
DATE: November 28, 2006
Now that you, Gen. Colin M. Powell, along with certain other current/former members of the Bush-Cheney administration, have been hypothetically indicted for your role in the Bush-Cheney White House's conspiracy to defraud the United States via various unlawful actions taken during the administration's lead-up to Iraqnam, I, as one of millions of victims of that conspiracy, hereby offer you the opportunity to atone for your role therein.
Of course, I'm referring to the "indictment" embodied in the recently published book "United States v. George W. Bush et al.," by former U. S. prosecutor Elizabeth de la Vega (Seven Stories Press). Her painstaking, conclusive presentation and analysis of the facts, circumstances, decisions, principals, and motivations behind this, the Ultimate Impeachable Offense, leaves you little wiggle room in defending yourself.
While you proceed to weigh your conscience in this Enron-ization of our federal government, I'm urging the incoming new district attorney for the county of Muskogee, Okla. -- Mr. Larry Miller -- to apply the contents of Ms. de la Vega's treatise to the deliberations of the sought-for Muskogee grand jury for investigating, and reporting upon, ALL impeachable offenses committed by the Bush-Cheney administration. The Muskogee citizens petition now being circulated for impanelment of that grand jury has neared the half-way point in garnering the requisite number of signatures from the county's registered voters. Once the petition gets filed in the county's district court, I would hope that Mr. Miller invite Ms. de la Vega to appear in person before this "people's panel" -- there to testify as both a mutual victim and a surrogate prosecutor.
In the meantime, Gen. Powell, please do the right thing by declaring yourself an unindicted co-conspirator willing to supply state's evidence in return for Mr. Miller's granting you immunity from prosecution. By accepting this opportunity to redeem yourself from your own role in Bush-Cheney's violation of the public trust in their misleading of Congress and the general public, you will have helped us all recover from their unforgivable war-of-aggression in Iraq.
...it is working for Ronnie Earl in Austin, Texas [Travis Co.] who is effectively 'hammering' corrupt GOP crime boss and former House Majority Leader, Tom Delay. A look through old local and state laws might reveal a number of 'on-the-book' legal tools to take down Bush and his co-conspirators. Before Mr. Bryant's efforts, I wonder how many Muskogee registered voters realized they could petition the impanelment of a grand jury to prosecute federal officials? As another article featured in today's OpEdNews headlines suggests, local prosecution could do for voting reform what HAVA apparently can not.
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Amanda Lang (23 articles, 13884 quicklinks, 431 diaries, 593 comments)
on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 at 2:46:24 PM
saw him on news the other night said they needed to complete what they started, mr bush it will never happen,get out now,says old nam vet, you are waisting money and lives and the gov time ,put the troops in usa not anther country. larry spelts
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larry spelts (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1 comments)
on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 at 2:56:45 PM
Good point, both of you. I think I lost a bit of perspective there - the biggest priority is saving lives and staunching the damage this administration can inflict. Now. We can sort out the past later.
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Jay Daverth (19 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 5 comments)
on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 at 5:32:59 PM
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