Impeach Bush and Cheney!
Read the GP Resolution and the Downing Street Memo.

PROPOSAL: The Green Party of the United States shall join the movement to impeach the President by

1. Issuing a statement calling upon the Congress of the United States to initiate impeachment proceedings against George W. Bush for high crimes and misdemeanors. These include:

A. A pattern of making false statement to Congress, the American people and the world to win support for action by the American government and military forces in violation of national and international law;

B. Squandering the resources of the American people to serve the interests of transnational corporations; 

C. Commission of various war crimes including the use of depleted uranium, cluster bombs and the assassinations of journalists.

2. Constituting a subcommittee of the Peace Action Committee to plan and to coordinate activities within the Green Party of the United States and with other organizations working for the impeachment of George W. Bush.

 

 

ANDDD For all you people who haven't read the Downing Street Memo, here is a text version of it:

The Secret 'Downing Street Memo'

Published by The Sunday Times (UK), May 1, 2005
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1593607,00.html

SECRET AND STRICTLY PERSONAL - UK EYES ONLY

DAVID MANNING
From: Matthew Rycroft
Date: 23 July 2002
S 195 /02

cc: Defence Secretary, Foreign Secretary,
Attorney-General, Sir Richard Wilson, John
Scarlett, Francis Richards, CDS, C, Jonathan
Powell, Sally Morgan, Alastair Campbell

IRAQ: PRIME MINISTER'S MEETING, 23 JULY

Copy addressees and you met the Prime Minister on  23 July to discuss Iraq.

This record is extremely sensitive. No further copies should be made. It should be shown only to those with a genuine need to know its contents. 

John Scarlett summarised the intelligence and latest JIC assessment. Saddam's regime was tough and based on extreme fear. The only way to overthrow it was likely to be by massive military action. Saddam was worried and expected an attack, probably by air and land, but he was not convinced that it would be immediate or overwhelming. His regime expected their neighbours to line up with the US. Saddam knew that regular army morale was poor. Real support for Saddam among the public was probably narrowly based.

C reported on his recent talks in Washington. There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. The NSC had no patience with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime's record. There was little discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action.

CDS said that military planners would brief CENTCOM on 1-2 August, Rumsfeld on 3 August and Bush on 4 August. 

The two broad US options were:

(a) Generated Start. A slow build-up of 250,000 US troops, a short (72 hour) air campaign, then a move up to Baghdad from the south. Lead time of 90 days (30 days preparation plus 60 days deployment to Kuwait).

(b) Running Start. Use forces already in theatre (3 x 6,000), continuous air campaign, initiated by an Iraqi casus belli. Total lead time of 60 days with the air campaign beginning even earlier. A hazardous option.

The US saw the UK (and Kuwait) as essential, with basing in Diego Garcia and Cyprus critical for either option. Turkey and other Gulf states were also important, but less vital. The three main options for UK involvement were:

(i) Basing in Diego Garcia and Cyprus, plus three SF squadrons.

(ii) As above, with maritime and air assets in addition.

(iii) As above, plus a land contribution of up to 40,000, perhaps with a discrete role in Northern Iraq entering from Turkey, tying down two Iraqi divisions.

The Defence Secretary said that the US had already begun "spikes of activity" to put pressure on the regime. No decisions had been taken, but he thought the most likely timing in US minds for military action to begin was January, with the timeline beginning 30 days before the US Congressional elections.

The Foreign Secretary said he would discuss this with Colin Powell this week. It seemed clear that Bush had made up his mind to take military action, even if the timing was not yet decided. But the case was thin. Saddam was not threatening his neighbours, and his WMD capability was less than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran. We should work up a plan for an ultimatum to Saddam to allow back in the UN weapons inspectors. This would also help with the legal justification for the use of force.

The Attorney-General said that the desire for regime change was not a legal base for military action. There were three possible legal bases: self-defence, humanitarian intervention, or UNSC authorisation. The first and second could not be the base in this case. Relying on UNSCR 1205 of three years ago would be difficult. The situation might of course change.

The Prime Minister said that it would make a big difference politically and legally if Saddam refused to allow in the UN inspectors. Regime change and WMD were linked in the sense that it was the regime that was producing the WMD. There were different strategies for dealing with Libya and Iran. If the political context were right, people would support regime change. The two key issues were whether the military plan worked and whether we had the political strategy to give the military plan the space to work.

On the first, CDS said that we did not know yet if the US battleplan was workable. The military were continuing to ask lots of questions. 

For instance, what were the consequences, if Saddam used WMD on day one, or if Baghdad did not collapse and urban warfighting began? You said that Saddam could also use his WMD on Kuwait. Or on Israel, added the Defence Secretary.

The Foreign Secretary thought the US would not go ahead with a military plan unless convinced that it was a winning strategy. On this, US and UK interests converged. But on the political strategy, there could be US/UK differences. Despite US resistance, we should explore discreetly the ultimatum. Saddam would continue to play hard-ball with the UN. 

John Scarlett assessed that Saddam would allow the inspectors back in only when he thought the threat of military action was real.

The Defence Secretary said that if the Prime Minister wanted UK military involvement, he would need to decide this early. He cautioned that many in the US did not think it worth going down the ultimatum route. It would be important for the Prime Minister to set out the political context to Bush.

Conclusions:

(a) We should work on the assumption that the UK would take part in any military action. But we needed a fuller picture of US planning before we could take any firm decisions. CDS should tell the US military that we were considering a range of options.

(b) The Prime Minister would revert on the question of whether funds could be spent in preparation for this operation.

(c) CDS would send the Prime Minister full details of the proposed military campaign and possible UK contributions by the end of the week.

(d) The Foreign Secretary would send the Prime Minister the background on the UN inspectors, and discreetly work up the ultimatum to Saddam. 

He would also send the Prime Minister advice on the positions of countries in the region especially Turkey, and of the key EU member states.

(e) John Scarlett would send the Prime Minister a full intelligence update.

(f) We must not ignore the legal issues: the Attorney-General would consider legal advice with FCO/MOD legal advisers.

(I have written separately to commission this follow-up work.)

MATTHEW RYCROFT 

(Rycroft was a Downing Street foreign policy aide)

Call to Arms from Kalle Lasn

BARTLET
 
 We agree on nothing, Max.
 
 LOBELL
 
 Yes, sir.
 
 BARTLET
 
 Education, guns, drugs, school prayer, gays, defense spending, taxes, you name it, we disagree.
 
 LOBELL
 
 You know why?
 
 BARTLET
 
 ‘Cause I’m a lily-livered, bleeding-heart, liberal, egg head, communist.
 
 LOBELL
 
 Yes, sir. And I’m a gun-totin’, redneck son-of-a-bitch.
 
 BARTLET
 
 Yes, you are.
 
 LOBELL
 
 We agree on that.
 
 BARTLET
 
 We also agree on campaign finance.
 
 LOBELL
 
 Yes, sir.
 
 

I slowly walked out the door. Hands in my pockets. Head looking at the gravel on the ground and my worn leather sandles. Turned around. Looked at the place one last time. Knowing it was over. Smiled and knew we all had a good run in the old building with friends and people who were almost family by now. And in looking up at the building, with its makeshift WSH lettering, I took a huge deep breath. A breath that was full of saddness and joy. Of memories and happiness. One last breath of High School. Then I turned around and walked to my car with out any regrets, doubts or grudges. Sometimes you don't know what you have until its over. Lifes too short to take it for granted. I can see the same thing happening again after college, and hopefully the same bittersweet feeling without any regrets when I walk out of life. A great teacher told me: This may or may not be the last time we meet. Until we meet again, in this life or next.

Always in Peace and Love my friends,

With best regards,

-Brian Kelly

www.peaceisvisionary.org

Fridden, Der Frieden, La Paix, Achukma, Mír Bosnian, Shalom, Heiwa, Salam, La Paz, La Pace Italian, Peace, A Paz Galician, Alaáfía, Amaithi, Amaní, Aman Malay, Amniat, Ashtee, Asomdwee, Aylobaha, ake, Barish, Béke, Boóto, Búdech, Chibanda, Däilama, Damai, Diakatra, Dodolimdag, eace-pay, Echnahcaton, Ets'a'an Olal, 'Éyewi Nez, Fandriampahalemana, Filemu, Fois Scots, Fred Danish, Norwegian, Friður , Goom-jigi, Gúnnammwey, Hasîtî, Hau, Hedd, Hmethó, Hoa Bình, lifayka, Innaihtsi'iyi, Iri'ni, Írq, Ittimokla, Kagiso, Kalilíntad, Kapayapaan, K'é, Kev Thajyeeb Nyab Xeeb Hmong Daw, Khanhaghutyun, Khotso, Kiñuiñak, Kiba-kiba, Kunammwey, Kutula, 'Kwam, La Paqe, La Patz, La Pau, Lapé Haitian, Layéni, Li-k'ei, Linew, Lùmana, Mabuhay, Maluhia, Meleilei, Melino, Miers, Mina, Mtendere Chewa, Muka-muka, Musango, Mutenden, Nabad -Da, Nanna Ayya, Ñerane'i, Nimuhóre, Nirudho, Nye, Olakamigenoka, Paçi, Paco, Pax, Pingan, Pokój , Pyong'hwa, Rahu, Rangima'arie, Rauha, Rerdamaian, Rukun, Saanti, Santipap, Saq, Shîte, Shanti Bengali, Sholim, Síocháin, Sìth, Soksang, Solh Dari, Sonqo, Sulh, Taika, Tecócatú , Thayu, Tsumukikatu, Tuktuquil, Tutkiun, Udo, Ukuthula, Uvchin, Uxolo, Vrede Afrikaans, Wâki Ijiwebis-I, Wetaskiwin, Wolakota, Wôntôkóde, Wo'okeyeh peace and love kids, Brian

All those that believe shall know the truth. They shall not feel pain, nor drown in seas of tears, nor question their purpose. Nor shall they be tempted or fear the paths of darkness. They shall rejoyce in tranquility, be graced with all knowledge, find peace, and know love. I only hope that I may one day believe.... peAce, loVe and all that great stuff -Bri

The Dalai Lama: One of my close friends spent, I think, eighteen years in a Chinese prison and labor camp. In the early 80s they allowed him to come to India. On occasion he and I discuss his experiences in various Chinese labor camps. And he told me that during those periods, on a few occasions he faced grave danger. I assumed he meant for his life. When asked what kind of danger, and his response was, "I was in Danger of losing compassion for the Chinese." Interviewer: We have rising evidence that anger is one of the great killers, not of the people it’s directed at, but of the people who have the anger. A great deal of high blood pressure comes out of anger at injustice. You of all people have wrestled with this problem, but you have the low blood pressure of a child. How do you do this? The Dalai Lama: That’s my secret. As I mentioned before, when I see and I hear some sort of tragic situation, I always try to make comparison with the possibility of some event or some past experience and to look from different angles. For example, we lost our country and endured a lot of destruction. If I look only from that angle, then, of course, the sadness increases. No use. But, you see, the same event, looked at from another angle: "Oh, yes, because of this tragedy, because we became refugees, I have many new opportunities for meeting with different people." You see, my practice is to try to lead a useful existence. That means if you engage in some service to others, give at least a short moment of happiness to others, including animals, then you get the feeling "Now I did something good. My existence has become something purposeful." After all, the purpose of life is happiness. That’s my fundamental belief. To achieve happiness, good food, good shelter, good friends are part of the source of happiness, but the main thing is deep mental satisfaction. That comes if you make yourself available to others and serve others. Basically, a human being is a social animal. So, if you create some short moment of happiness for people, you get deep satisfaction. You get fulfillment of your existence. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - And all the Peace there is on Earth, Is faith in what your World is Worth. And saying without any Lies, Your World would not be otherwise. What a GREAT DAY I had today.

updated my site. if you have time... tell me how it looks: AYCS Foundation Site While you are there... register as an online member! By registering we can raise more funds to run blood drives, food drives, etc, and other programs... Thanks people, Brian

Essay from my Syracuse University Project Advance: Writing Studio 101 and English and Textual Studies 141 class. The topic of the essay was to choose and analyze an artifact from modern day society in an original, and creative manner. ------------------- Got time? The watch has a murky green digital screen that displays time on both conventional and continental scales (twelve and twenty-four hours respectfully). Centered on the face of the stopwatch is the rectangular time display, which is surrounded with various labels and descriptions. 'Water Resist' denotes increased durability in moist and precipitating conditions. The stopwatch measures time up to the one one-hundredth of a second. This minute measurement implies precision and accuracy, while the operator of the machine is by definition, imprecise and flawed. We have always based our lives on the assumed fact that time is a linear progression, a non-spatial continuum, and conceptual dimension that exists only within the breadth of human intellect or perhaps more realistically, within human imagination. The only similarity that our definitions of time have in common is that it is a period or medium in which change occurs. In our struggle to grasp the reality of our existence, we have invented a vast system of experimental controls that now dictate the common functions of life. Most people would refuse to accept anything else. Our minds are programmed to follow a nine-to-five workday schedule around which everything is planned. The machine is connected to a forty-five inch lanyard, which is attached through a small hole that was drilled through the bottom of the timepiece. The thin black rope was then looped through the watch, starting and ending through this same small hole. The looped rope allows one to keep the timer handy. There is no need for it to ever leave our side. Even though we hate what it represents, we feel naked with out it. Without it we will be subjected to the painful process of saying: "Excuse me: Do you have the Time." How is it possible to 'have the time?" Can it be possible that time is a physical medium instead of just a conceptual measurement. Or is it just that our attachment to it has become so great that we talk of it as if it is a commodity. When you create a relationship with a concept or a belief it becomes part of you. The norms of society are what people feel comfortable with. They do not want to see their lives challenged by free thinkers. They consider the idea of free thought as an attack on their way of life. People want to wake up each morning, drag themselves out of bed, and go to work. After work they want to go home to end the day and get ready to start it over again. To most, the idea of the weekend is the rationale that time is not this endless cycle, but a perfectly acceptable means by which to live. Weekends are the break that blinds them from the fact that they are slaves of Time. This justification allows them to continue through each day without questioning the reasons behind it all. The stopwatch contains dozens of mechanical parts, which work together to try to capture a concept that was created by humans. Each of these parts was created on an assembly line where still more timed factory machines turned raw materials into the thing we call a clock. There is a button that turns on a small light. The light allows us to use it at any time of the day. We are never with out the Timekeeper because its numbers are always visible to us. It is covered in a variety of other buttons. Creatively included is a 'start-stop' button, allowing the user to seemingly start and stop time at will. What shows that we have a desire to control time even greater is the button near the top of the stopwatch labeled 'Restart.' The button comforts us. Time can be "stopped" whenever we chose. The monster that controls our lives can be reset with one quick "beep." Society operates on the concept of the Day. The day was the next logical step in the series on controls. Breaking existence itself down into units allows the groups of people in charge to institute absolute control over them. Our very existence is based on the condition that we agree to be slaves to the day. We work, and conform to society so that we may pass time by, and ignore the true meaning behind it all. The concept of time is linked to our hatred of the concept of our own mortality. Even the most devote believers in an afterlife, dread the question: "Is there anything after death." But time continues, constantly ticking away. Each second brings us closer to our own demise. The man made concept changes from a measure of being, to a countdown to our last breath. It serves as a control that keeps us in check and stops us from breaking laws, challenging those in control and conjuring visions of grandeur. This medium, once commonly considered linear, now becomes a cyclic process of creation, existence, and destruction. The concept of a timekeeping machine is flawed in itself. There is no real way to tell if the precision claimed by the product is accurate. Even if it were a perfectly built machine, in theory, all of its features would be rendered inaccurate by the imperfection of its human operator. The stopwatch is a tool that is controlled by man. If the machine were capable of being perfect, human delay would still make its perfection, a colossal waste of time. Timing an event, such as a race, down to the hundredth of a second is foolish, since the delay varies from official to official. Humans have the vain belief that they can create perfection any time they want. This belief has been the cause of countless problems and conflicts. Once we accept the flawed nature of our creation, it is easy to see that time itself is a concept that works only on paper and can not work in reality. In the very least it cannot work in its current machine form. Perhaps the stopwatch can best be described in its most common way: as a simple black stopwatch. A lanyard hangs from one end so that it can be hung, or worn as a necklace or twirled through the air by gym teachers and coaches. There is nothing special about it, and it keeps time flawlessly (as designed of course). Human error is not taken into account, because humans are perfect beings, without error or miscalculation. The backlight allows us to use it at all times in our twenty-four hour, workaholic, never sleep society. The battery that supplies the clock runs out at one precise moment in time, with no "fading point" where the clock would (in some other imperfect society) slow before stopping. Every infinitesimal part was designed to work perfectly with every other part and the manufacturing plant made sure that that plan was carried out absolutely. The small time keeper works perfectly, and indefinitely, with out skipping at all. Time is measured perfectly and displayed on the digital display as a series of precise numbers. There are no errors… If we believe this, then it is clear that our notion of Time is deeply flawed.