Reply #51: They must be impeached [View All]

[Prophet 451]

Obviously, investigations will have to take place first but once the evidence is admitted (and we all know it's out there), the pair of them must be either impeached or, if they've left office, brought up on criminal charges.

Yes, Bush only has a little while left. Yes, he will struggle to get any repressive legislation through an unfriendly Congress. That's not the point. The point is about justice and accountability and, perhaps more importantly, a sense of closure. For the last six years, America has lived through a nightmare. Over here in England, we watched it unfold and at first, we thought there had just been a mistake. The USA had elected or allowed the selection of an upper-class oik without a brain in his head. OK, fair enough, that was a mistake and we thought the country would recognise that mistake and correct it as soon as possible. Then came the 2004 election. Now, leaving aside the evidence of vote fraud for the moment, it seemed like the USA liked living in that nightmare.

Now, finally, the country has started to wake up but in order to put that nightmare behind them, in order for the national psyche to heal, justice must be seen to be done, there must be a sense of closure, that the long dark is behind you now and you can move on. That means either impeachment or criminal charges (or both, is it possible to do both?).

Forget the practical politics for a second, forget the partisanship. This is about principle. The evidence is out there to warrant impeachment proceedings. You don't even have to look very hard for it. If Bush is cleared, fine. He had his day in court, defended himself and was vindicated in the end. That's how justice is supposed to work (i.e. not involving waterboarding) but in order for justice to be seen to be done, in order for the country to heal, investigations, which would inevitibly lead to impeachment, must be forthcoming.