Bush opponents call for impeachment over Iraq
The American Green Party has expressed support for a motion to impeach US President George W Bush, citing illegal spying on groups and lies over the Iraq war.
Democratic Representative put forward the proposal Cynthia McKinney’s, echoing calls from the Green Party in 2003.
Ms McKinney listed deceptions that the Bush Administration used to justify launching an invasion of Iraq in 2003, including claims that Iraq possessed WMDs and represented a threat to America and its own neighbours, and noted that Mr Bush authorised unlawful spying on American citizens, including gay groups, circumvented the courts, violated the separation of powers provided by the Constitution, and attempting to cover up by making false statements to the public.
Last April, the US Department of Defence (DoD) released documentation confirming government surveillance of groups opposed to the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law banning openly lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGBT) service members.
The Bush administration has previously claimed spying on American citizens is both legal and necessary for the security of the nation.
“No President is above the law, and we thank Rep McKinney for standing up for justice while the rest of her party retreats from holding President Bush accountable for a litany of high crimes and misdemeanours,” said Nan Garrett, co-chair of the Georgia Green Party and one of McKinney’s constituents from the state’s 4th Congressional District.
“Unless Democrats revive the bill in January, it will expire along with the 109th Congress, and the Bush Administration’s criminality and abuses of power will go unpunished.”
The Green Party has offered similar lists of reasons to impeach President Bush since 2003
“Ms McKinney was labelled a 9/11 conspiracy theorist in the media a few years ago, but the same media refused to recognise that the 9/11 Commission confirmed her allegations that the Bush Administration knew a lot more about the impending attacks than it admitted,” said Katey Culver, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States.
“The media and the two established parties are similarly dismissing Ms. McKinney’s bill for impeachment.”
She highlighted the fact that former US President Bill Clinton was reprimanded for lying about sexual relations, and said national security should be another reason for impeachment.
