Kucinich: We need accountability on Iraq

[eridani]

http://www.truthdig.com/interview/item/20061109_truthdig_interview_dennis_kucinich/
In an original Truthdig interview, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), the potential next chair of the Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations, calls for congressional hearings into how and why America invaded Iraq, and demands “accountability” for those who led America into a “war based on lies.”

(Disclosure: Interviewer Scheer worked as an entry-level staffer on Kucinich’s state Senate campaign, and was later a summer associate in his congressional office.)

TRUTHDIG: Do you have a plan that could get us out of Iraq?

KUCINICH: I’ve had a plan to get us out of Iraq from the minute we got there. I’ve had it on my website for three years—elements of which are still very viable. It calls for the U.S. to give up its control of the oil assets to move towards soliciting U.N. involvement.

TRUTHDIG: Do you think the neocons are done, or do they have life left in them yet?

KUCINICH: I think they’re going to have to answer for the direction that they took this country. I don’t think this election, in and of itself, ends the questions about those who led us into a war based on lies. As a matter of fact, the only hope they have is to do a reversal and lead the way out of Iraq. Because even at this moment a number of their top adherents are continuing to insist on an active U.S. presence in Iraq.

<etc.>

[mike_c]

1. go DK!

:woohoo:

[mikelewis]

2. It was an honor to vote for him in this election...

Conyers and Kucinich are going to spend the next 2 years absolutely loving life.

[Telly Savalas]

3. "Accountability"??? Is Kucinich a communist or what??

If the Democratic Party listens to the far left fringe whining about Marxist concepts like "accountability" we're going to lose in a landslide in 2008.

[eridani]

4. I'm terrified!! This is SERIES1!!11! n/t

[nealmhughes]

9. Yes, it does seem that Bernie and Dennis are synonmous with morality...

sensible spending of our commenwealth,peace, health care for all, and don't give a rat's anal cavity about the corporations as well as actually caring about people who get up and work every day -- or want to! They must be Commies...

Oh, wait! They are a Democrat and an independent pragmatic socialist caucusing with the Democrats... silly me! Who would have thunk that Democrats were talking about "purity" these days...
Oh, yeah, about a couple of million people!

[Laelth]

11. That sums up the argument of those who oppose impeachment.

Quite nicely!

:dem:

-Laelth

[MrSlayer]

5. The Kooch rules plain and simple.

I'm proud to have voted for him the last primary for President.

:kick:

[cyclezealot]

6. agreed.

I hope to vote for Dennis Kucinich again in 08.

[boolean]

7. Kucinich is the MAN

I wish the country would get off this white, southern, christian, "hawkish" man bullshit and give someone with some real values and real convictions a chance.

[dweller]

8. 5

he's had a plan all along.

trust this man.
dp

[Laelth]

10. Thank you, Mr. Kucinich!

There's at least one person in Congress I can always count on to do the right thing (as opposed to doing what's politically expedient).

:dem:

-Laelth

[DemPower]

12. Kucinich plan from 2004

audio on accountability from 2004
"This Administration has alot of explaining to do to the American People
Where are those weapons of mass destruction that constituted an imminent threat on this nation?"
http://ftp.radio4all.net/pub/archive/05.29.04/k-06accountability.mp3

Here's a great audio from the 2004 primary on bringing the troops home
http://ftp.radio4all.net/pub/archive/05.29.04/k-13bring_em_home.mp3

1. The United States must ask the United Nations to manage the oil assets of Iraq until the Iraqi people are self-governing.

2. The United Nations must handle all the contracts: No more Halliburton sweetheart deals, No contracts to Bush Administration insiders, No contracts to campaign contributors. All contracts must be awarded under transparent conditions.

3. The United States must renounce any plans to privatize Iraq. It is illegal under both the Geneva and the Hague Conventions for any nation to invade another nation, seize its assets, and sell those assets. The Iraqi people, and the Iraqi people alone must have the right to determine the future of their country's resources.

4. The United States must ask the United Nations to handle the transition to Iraqi self-governance. The UN must be asked to help the Iraqi people develop a Constitution. The UN must assist in developing free and fair elections.

5. The United States must agree to pay for what we blew up.

6. The United States must pay reparations to the families of innocent Iraqi civilian noncombatants killed and injured in the conflict.

7. The United States must contribute financially to the UN peacekeeping mission.

8. The United Nations, through its member nations, will commit 130,000 peacekeepers to Iraq on a temporary basis until the Iraqi people can maintain their own security.

9. UN troops will rotate into Iraq, and all US troops will come home.

10. The United States will abandon policies of "preemption" and unilateralism and commit to strengthening the UN.

Congressman Kucinich has since introduced the Homeward Bound initiative with Ron Paul, Neil Abercrombie,and Walter "freedom fries" Jones to bring the troops home starting October 2006.

Everyone thinks it was Murtha that first introduced legislation, but it was Kucinich and this bipartisan group that first introduced Homeward Bound and then Murtha sorta stole the limelight.

I agree that we need hearings, but our troops are dying every day! Iraqis are dying every day!!

We need to get on Nancy Pelosi to bring this bill or similar legislation to bring the troops home NOW! to the floor of the House as soon as she becomes Speaker. WE THE PEOPLE MUST DEMAND IT!

Nancy pelosi's email....

[e-mail]

contact page
http://www.house.gov/pelosi/contact/contact.html

[LWolf]

13. "I’ve had it on my website for three years"

True. Of course, when a more corporate, beltway Democrat, years after the fact, finally announces "MY plan," and there have been a few, Democrats, and DUers, applaud as if there hasn't been a plan out there all along.

DKs plan would need an update, certainly, but I'd like to see his fellow Democrats join him in updating it, rather than trying to gain some illegitimate political points by starting the process over under their own name.

[DemPower]

15. Dennis should rewrite it and Nancy should introduce it first day as speaker

:applause:

[DemPower]

17. This is too funny

Kerry Feingold still the best plan
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2960920

Why can't the democrats unite to come up with a plan, and they can start by admitting that Dennis Kucinich was right all along and start listening to him instead of pretending like he doesn't exist.

[ProSense]

18. LOL!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2960920&mesg_id=2961083

[LWolf]

19. Agree. n/t

[Vidar]

14. Sing it loud, Dennis.

[happydreams]

16. "top adherents are continuing to insist...."

That would be John McCain who is calling for an increase in troop levels. Fucking idiot!
And to think we were both on the same ship, albeit at different times.

[Algorem]

20. Kucinich deserves a lot of credit for Sherrod Brown getting elected,accor-

ding to former Democratic Congressman Dennis Eckart.Saw Eckart on Tom Beres' show on Channel 3 in Cleveland the Sunday before the election,he said something like Sherrod Brown's poll numbers really started to move after Kucinich put his "small army" of supporters to work helping Brown.