Cindy Sheehan: The Ides of March

A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION
by Cindy Sheehan

A few days ago, I sent out a frustrated e-mail to a small listserv that includes some major peace activists in the nation, including Dennis and Elizabeth Kucinich. My e-mail read as follows:

With the impending invasion of Iran, which will probably turn nuclear (or "nukular" as some say), why is no member of Congress introducing Articles of Impeachment?

We live in a rogue state...who will stop them?

I received the standard reply that I receive from many of our dear anti-war, progressive Congressional Reps, from Dennis' wife, Elizabeth: DK feels that impeachment is a distraction of the real issue which is ending the war in Iraq.

Of course I agree that Iraq is the real issue, but King George has said himself that the war isn't ending while he is president. And as the occupation of Iraq has been an unmitigated failure, an invasion of Iran (by the U.S. or Israel) would be the prelude to Armageddon.

Also, if we subtract the issues of Iran and Iraq, King George has violated international law and has ripped our Constitution into confetti sized pieces. From unlawful invasions to stealing unprecedented executive powers using his fabricated "war on terror" BushCo has committed many impeachable offenses. Impeachment proceedings would complement the peace movement -- not distract or detract from it.

A couple of millennia ago, there was a leader of a Republic that took imperial powers upon himself and declared himself "dictator for life" -- his name was Julius Caesar. On the Ides of March (44 B.C.), some very reluctantly patriotic Senators who wanted to halt the slide of Rome from a Republic into an empire ruled by a dictator, took matters into their own hands and assassinated Julius Caesar on the "Ides of March," which is today.

Frustrated by this Congress, again, giving King George the green light for further wars of aggression, on the eve of the Ides of March 2007, Rep. Dennis Kucinich took matters peacefully and patriotically into his own hands and with courage and integrity said the "I" word on the House floor in these remarks:

This House cannot avoid its Constitutionally authorized responsibility to restrain abuse of the Executive Branch.

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 US is a signatory to the UN Charter, a constituent treaty among the nations of the world. Article II, Section 4 of the UN 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 US Constitution makes such treaties the Supreme Law of the Land. This Administration has openly threatened aggression against Iran in violation of the US Constitution and UN 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 since such a war is patently illegal, then impeachment may well be the only remedy which remains to stop a war of aggression against Iran.

The Congressional power of impeachment is the only thing that can restrain King George and his criminal court. Congress has given King George their powers to declare war and has not maintained its duty as a check on his illegal regal progression. If Congress doesn't snatch some of that power back, they will become as ineffectual and irrelevant as the Roman Senate under Julius' replacement, his nephew Caesar Augustus.

We as a progressive peace community need to thank and support Rep. Kucinich in his courageous stance against further dictatorial power grabs from The Usurpers.

Call Dennis Kucinich's office to thank him: 202/225-5871. Or e-mail him.

Donate 15.00 for the 15th of March to his campaign.

Let's encourage and reward our Reps who do the right thing.

Let's help to save our Republic.

A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION

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