The recent Report from the senate Intelligence Committee includes a stinging rebuke of the Bush Administration deception in leading [goading] the country into an unnecessary invasion of Iraq. Many examples of abuse of authority and deliberate distortion or fabrication of justifications for the invasion that were unsupported by available intelligence are detailed in the report. This is yet another “official” report to document existing evidence of malfeasance in office on the part of the George W. Bush and Dick Cheney and their administration. The Senate Intelligence Committee Report does not, however, raise the issue of what consequences should arise from such dangerous and fraudulent conduct that has cost the US thousands of lives and Billions of dollars.
To be sure, the GOP and apologists will dismiss the report[1] as inconsequential “old news” and they will in some way be correct. Yet the Holocaust is also “old news” and news that is still based upon horrible facts that the public needs to be reminded about, lest it be allowed to reoccur. The patent disrespect for the American people and disregard for their oath of office deserve public mention and further discussion. This is particularly true in light of recent GOP presidential candidate John McCain’s pronouncements that he has always supported the decision to invade Iraq and would do it over again if presented the choice. The public needs to be alerted and to make an informed decision about who will occupy the White House after Bush leaves.
Consider also that Sen. McCain recently stated publicly that he too would suspend Constitutional rights of free speech and privacy to spy on Americans as Bush has done under the guise of “National Security” that was hyped because of the threat of terrorism also “marketed” to the public as justification for the Iraq invasion. So the public should consider not only the risk of another wrongheaded and catastrophic decision like the invasion of Iraq from the new President, but also the myriad of related and consequential decisions and actions that would flow from such a mindset.
Discussion of the failures in the run up to the Iraq invasion also must include analysis of why the “loyal opposition” failed to respond in any meaningful way. It is true that “you can fool some of the people some of the time” especially when the people have been cowed by fear mongering. However, the failure of Democratic elected officials to closely scrutinize the decision to invade and to question the veracity of the so-called intelligence evidence used by Bush to justify the alleged threat warrants further scrutiny. Why were so few willing to display the courage to say that “the Emperor has no clothes” as the innocent little boy shouted in the story? Cowardice based upon fear that their patriotism might be challenged or that campaign donations might fall off is not an admirable quality in our elected leaders, whether GOP or Democrat. What qualities will the electorate demand in the fall general election for representatives and senators being sent [or returned] to Congress?
Just because the issues and the facts are not “new” does not make them any less important or make discussion of them any less merited. Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat the mistakes. And we simply cannot afford to make mistakes of this magnitude again. In this regard, “old news” is definitely worth our attention.
[1] "The report released today was a waste of committee time and resources," said a conclusion signed by Sen. Christopher S. Bond of Missouri, the ranking Republican on the committee, and three of his colleagues. Bond accused Democrats of "a partisan agenda" and said they had "cherry-picked information and distorted policymakers' statements."
The document was approved in April on a 10-5 vote, with two of the committee's seven Republicans siding with Democrats to endorse its release.
Those two, Sens. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska and Olympia J. Snowe of Maine, said in a statement Thursday that they had some misgivings but hoped future administrations would "learn from this comprehensive review and avoid making similar mistakes."
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