Former Powell aide says Bush, Cheney guilty of 'high crimes'

[kpete]

Former Powell aide says Bush, Cheney guilty of 'high crimes'
Nick Juliano
Published: Thursday May 10, 2007

A former top State Department aide to Colin Powell said today that President Bush and Vice President Cheney are more deserving of impeachment than was Bill Clinton.

Lawrence Wilkerson, who was chief of staff to then-Secretary of State Colin Powell, said on the public radio program On Point Thursday that "Bill Clinton's peccadilloes ... pale in significance" when compared to the "high crimes and misdemeanors" of Bush and Cheney.

........................

Asked about the high crimes of the current administration, Wilkerson said the American public was duped into supporting a war in Iraq.

"I think we went into this war for specious reasons," he said. "I think we went into this war not too much unlike the way we went into the Spanish American War with the Hearst press essentially goading the American people and the leadership into war. That was a different time in a different culture, in a different America. We're in a very different place today and I think we essentially got goaded into the war through some of the same means."

more at:
http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2007/05/20070510_a_main.asp
and:
http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Former_Powell_aide_says_Bush_Cheney_0510.html

[judaspriestess]

1. So why doesn't Powell

do the right thing and come out and say something!!

[ellacott]

2. It's like they are holding something over his head

I know he doesn't have a squeaky clean background. There are still many question regarding his involvement or lack of involvement in the My Lai massacre.

I was surprised to see he got invited to the State dinner for the Queen.

[Monk06]

10. Powell, as a US information officer went on camera when the My Lai story broke

and denied that it was an intentional massacre.
Until a helicopter pilot who was present and
stopped the shooting came forward.


Sound familiar? Can we say Haditha.


Powell has always been a water carrier and
he is on the board of Carlyle as is Herbert
Walker Bush, former Canadian Prime Minister
Brian Mulrony and a host of other NeoCons.

[Stephanie]

13. I had no idea he was on the board of Carlyle.

Thanks for the tip.

[Monk06]

14. Here are some links. All indy but bear in mind Carlyle is a private

company and is not required to reveall the identities
of their BOD.

[Monk06]

15. Some links. All Indy but given the Carlyle prohibition against naming

Directors, very convincing given the Carlyle
line up of Bushies and EX military.

http://www.jungcircle.com/muse/Links.html

http://theladyslegacy.blogspot.com/2007/03/clash-of-civilizations.html

http://www.palestine.org.nz/436.html

http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/09/22/political-ads-which-catch-your-attention-and-

[Monk06]

16. Dopey dupey .............

[central scrutinizer]

8. that would make exactly once that Powell has done the right thing

in his whole life. Why would he start doing the right thing now when he has always been a lying scumbag?

[NNadir]

22. Um, because he's a coward?

This guy's whole career has been about cover-ups, going back to My Lai.

[reprehensor]

3. Yeah, baby.

More dissent, please!

[magellan]

4. Terrorized into war with Iraq is more like it.

IMPEACH. NOW.

[Senator]

11. Yes, "Terrorized" -- We Must All ... Say - The - Word!

We need to stop euphemizing. Even to each other.

Sadly, "Violence" is Still the Answer.

---

[magellan]

17. BRILLIANT!

Senator, your blog from last year is right on the money. How sad that it's still so relevant a year later. It burns me when Dems use language like, "The President MISLED us." He didn't mislead us. He deliberately LIED to us. There's abundant evidence to support that.

I'd like to quote one particular point you make:

We waste far too much time and effort falling victim to "paralysis by analysis."

Yes indeed. Including but not limited to excuses such as, "We don't have the votes in the Senate to impeach!" and "Impeachment will distract Dems from the real business they need to do and impact their chances in the '08 elections!"

When did upholding the law and holding the President accountable for criminal actions become solely a matter of political convenience?

Imagine if our police worked the same way. "I'm sure the guy who just passed me waving a gun in the air is dangerous, but that's a lot of paperwork and I want to get home on time tonight. My wife's threatening to divorce me if I don't start spending more time with her and the kids."

What do we think of cops who'd make such excuses for not performing their sworn duty? And why shouldn't we feel the same way about Congress?

[Senator]

19. That's what the DC Dems have turned our party into

The corrupt cops playing "lookout" and "bagman" for the rackets.

Except the racket now is war crimes.

As bad as terrorizing the American People was, the torture/war crimes damages our nation far more. And this damage is ongoing.

Which is why I recommend a single impeachment article over Geneva violations/torture to be the most effective way to get the 67 votes we need to convict. The Senate has already voted 90-9 in favor of the McCain Anti-Torture amendment (negated by "rule by signing statement"). They can hardly flip flop on it -- or defend torture as our national legacy.

As much as we might want to go after them for what they've done to us, it's more important -- and far likelier to succeed -- if we go after them for damage to the reputation of our once-great nation.

--

[in_cog_ni_to]

5. No kidding? SO, whatareyougoing tofuckingdoaboutit?

:grr:

They all KNOW these rat bastards have committed crimes and STILL leave them in office! WTF will it take for SOMEONE with balls to step up to the plate and INSIST they all be IMPEACHED? What the fuck will it take? WE THE PEOPLE? Then, WE THE PEOPLE can be shot at with tanks and military rifles while the Congress people watch from their cozy secure offices.....is that what they're waiting for? When it gets so damn bad citizens of this country have to DIE to prove a fucking point??? WHAT? WHAT ARE THEY WAITING FOR???!!!:grr:

[malaise]

6. What does he thnk about Powell

being sent to the Hague?

[mmonk]

7. He doesn't like what has happened and has said so repeatedly.

If enough republicans can agree with Wilkerson and Kucinich, then maybe the democrats in charge that want the republican base votes or money sources so bad they won't impeach will go along and vote on the articles.

[IChing]

9. This can be a great talking point when talking to a "normal" republican

"Did you know that Secretary of State Colin Powell's Chief of Staff has called
for the impeachment of Bush and Cheney?"

[RedEarth]

12. KR

[Lugnut]

18. That's a big no shit!

So. Where's Colin?

[Bluebear]

20. Oh well, but we're in Iraq now. Why look back? The whole WORLD thought Saddam had weapons.

:sarcasm:

[radfringe]

21. I'm getting a bit tired of these former loyal bushies

all coming out and saying we went to war for specious reasons - 4 years later...

we know this. we know that the PR campaign was a "slam dunk", that the information we were shown was manipulated, cherry-picked, twisted, spun, molded and/or just out-right bald-face lies.

we also know Congress went along with it and refused to investigate responsibily when news reports came out that the reasons for invading were fabrications. and we also know there are still many in Congress who refuse to hold bush inc. responsible/accountable.

at this point we can have every aide, every former bushie employee come forward and say the reason to invade Iraq was and is bushit - but it won't do any good until Congress get's off it's butt, does it's job and hold bush/cheney accountable.

The dems took control of Congress in January. It's now May. I was willing to give them some time to get their act together - but that "honeymoon" is over, time for serious action.