1. Iraq was not 'continuing to possess and develop a significant chemical and biological weapons capability.'
2. Iraq was not 'actively seeking a nuclear weapons capability.'
3. Iraq was not 'continuing to threaten the national security interests of the United States.'
4. Iraq did not have the 'willingness to attack, the United States.'
5. Iraq had no connection with the attacks of 9/11 or with al-Qaida's role in 9/11.
6. Iraq possessed no weapons of mass destruction to transfer to anyone.
7. Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction and therefore had no capability of launching a surprise attack against the United States or its Armed Forces or to provide them to international terrorists who would do so.
8. There was not a real risk of an 'extreme magnitude of harm that would result to the United States and its citizens from such an attack' because Iraq had no capability of attacking the United States.
9. The aforementioned evidence did not 'justify the use of force by the United States to defend itself' because Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction, or have the intention or capability of using the nonexistent WMDs against the United States.
10. Since there was no threat posed by Iraq to the United States, the enactment clause of the Senate Joint Resolution 45 was predicated on misstatements to Congress. H. Res. 1345 (alternate link)
The facts from that time don't come close to justifying the use of force. As demonstrated in the resolution, the president's case for war was based on "fraudulent representations made to Congress," the military, and the citizens of the United States.
See the draft of H. Res. 1345 at AfterDowingStreet.Org for direct links to the primary sources used in the resolution. The Library of Congress (THOMAS)alternate site have the official versions of the resolution, modified somewhat from the draft. and this
This information and more has been known for years to many citizens, particularly those who actively work for the impeachment of Bush and Cheney. Hundreds of them waited hours to get a seat in the public hearing which accommodated less than twenty of those who had waited in line.
Citizens Share Their Wisdom - 5:00 am Early Responders on Capitol Hill
As it turned out, the earliest arrivals for the hearings were from the key states responsible for the Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution, Virginia and Massachusetts, and the city in which they were developed, debated, and adopted, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Bill Perry and Sam Adams, two of the several representatives from Philadelphia's Delaware Valley Veterans for America, were on also present just before 5:00 am, as well. Perry and Adams, Viet Nam veterans had just worked on "A Sea of Tombstones: The Cost of War" mourning the Iraq war dead. When asked about claims that impeachment might hurt national security, Perry said clearly, "We are national security" and pointed out that the war makes us more rather than less vulnerable as a nation. Adams was clear on the necessity for impeachment: "We have to do it so the next guy down the road won't do the same thing."
Image: Jack Semper Fi Kline
Philadelphia's Delaware Valley Veterans for America "A Sea of Tombstones" memorial to U.S. soldiers lost in Iraq. Independence Hall is in the background. It was the nation's capitol for a time during the revolution and the building in which both the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were debated. The Liberty Bell is located nearby.
Rain Burroughs, Mary Genther-Carter, and Chris Dorsey of RVA4Peace got up very early and drove from Richmond, Virginia to Washington, DC for the impeachment hearings. They arrived before 5:00 am. When asked why impeach Bush this late in his term, Dorsey responded, "It's never too late for accountability." Burroughs had a special point to make by attending the hearings. Along with her seven year old daughter, she'd been removed from a 2007 Fourth of July celebration by Richmond police for displaying a sign containing the word "Impeach." Genther-Carter was just glad to be there even though she needed to be back in Richmond for work in mid afternoon.
David Swanson, another Virginian, also arrived very early. Swanson has been a constant advocate for White House accountability, impeachment, and an end to the occupation of Iraq. As the head of AfterDowningStreet.Org, he provides and hosts much of the key information on the hearings, including videos of the July 25 hearings.
When asked what he'd say to those who said this is too late and a waste of time, Swanson was quick to respond stating that there are "many reasons why that's absolute nonsense." He pointed to the overwhelming proof that the reasons for the Iraq invasion were fabricated, the undeniable admissions concerning FISA violations, and asked, "What's this second to?" Swanson also pointed out that there's no need for a prolonged impeachment process since the proof is already in place and widely available.
Robert Feuer from Stockbridge, Massachusetts, made a point of arriving early to the impeachment hearing line. He's campaigning hard against incumbent Rep. John Oliver (D-MA) in the Democratic primary for the Massachusetts 1st congressional district. A small town lawyer, Feuer is outraged that his representative has ignored the will of the people expressed at town hall meetings across the district. Oliver, he reports, admits that he's fully aware that many towns have voted in favor of impeachment by huge margins but refuses to support the effort. Feuer hopes to replace Oliver and solve at least that problem.
It would have been impossible to keep Stuart Hutchison out of the capitol on the day of the hearings. He founded New Jersey Impeach Groups, one of the most active impeachment organizations in the country. He outlined his motivation for impeachment in no uncertain terms:
"The biggest threat to the security of the United States is not Osama bin Laden. The most severe threat's not Iran or Musharraf or the Taliban in Afghanistan, and it's not al-Qaeda. None of these has the power to defeat the United States, not one can undo American democracy. The USA does suffer a grave threat to its security, a clear and present danger to the future of every person in our country, and it's led by Dick Cheney, George Bush, and the gang they put together who overthrew the government of the United States in November 2000."
Press Coverage - General Indifference and Tepid Denial by the Dwindling Elite
The mainstream media continued to lag far behind everyday citizens by ignoring the big issues while ridiculing those who take the lead in addressing vital concerns.
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