Bob Geiger: America's longest-serving U.S.
Senator blasts Bush Post Tools
May 21, 2007
Like many avowed liberals, I have a hard time getting past
the personal history of Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia.
Byrd spent a lot of his twenties as a member of the Ku Klux
Klan something for which he has repeatedly expressed remorse
and shame filibustered the Civil Rights Act of 1964, voted
against the nomination of Thurgood Marshall to the United
States Supreme Court in 1967 and was part of the "Gang
of 14" who in 2005 compromised with Republicans on the
appointment of right-wing judges.
But, at age 89, Byrd is the longest-serving Senator in U.S.
history, is widely considered the Senate's foremost historian
and expert in parliamentary matters and, when it comes to the
Iraq war, was wise enough to be against it from the very beginning.
"Today I weep for my country. I have watched the events
of recent months with a heavy, heavy heart," said Byrd
in a Senate-floor speech on March 19, 2003, after George W.
Bush ordered the Iraq invasion. "No more is the image
of America one of strong, yet benevolent peacekeeper. The image
of America has changed. Around the globe, our friends mistrust
us, our word is disputed, our intentions are questioned. Instead
of reasoning with those with whom we disagree, we demand obedience
or threaten recrimination."
And Byrd was prescient in his objection to the Iraq invasion,
citing what he believed even then to be corrupt evidence for
the war and the fact that Saddam Hussein had nothing to do
with the events of September 11. Here's more from Senator Byrd
on March 19, 2003:
"The case this administration tries to make to justify
its fixation with war is tainted by charges of falsified documents
and circumstantial evidence.We cannot convince the world of
the necessity of this war for one simple reason: This is not
a war of necessity, but a war of choice.
"There is no credible information to connect Saddam
Hussein to 9/11, at least up to this point.
"What is happening to this country--my country, your
country, our country? When did we become a nation which ignores
and berates our friends and calls them irrelevant? When did
we decide to risk undermining international order by adopting
a radical and doctrinaire approach to using our awesome military
might? How can we abandon diplomatic efforts when the turmoil
in the world cries out for diplomacy?"
I'm writing about all of this now because of another wonderful
speech Byrd gave on the Senate floor just last Thursday in
which he eviscerated Bush and his administration on the fight
over the war's continuation. Byrd's opinion is notable not
only because he has the frame of reference of 48 years in the
Senate, but also because he is currently President pro tempore
of the Senate and no matter how arcane this may sometimes seem
this makes him third in line to the presidency behind Dick
Cheney and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Take a look at what a man with the perspective of a half-century
in the Senate has to say about the worst president in our country's
history. I've included his floor speech of May 17, 2007 in
its entirety below.
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Here we are once again déjà vu debating
supplemental funding for the President's disastrous misadventure
in Iraq.
Now in its fifth year of occupation, the U.S. death toll in
Iraq is over 3,380. What a shame, shame, shame. The death toll
of innocent Iraqis is largely unknown, but it probably numbers
in the tens of thousands.
The United States of America has spent over $378 billion in
Iraq. Do you know how much a billion dollars is? That is $1
for every minute since Jesus Christ was born. So the United
States has spent over $378 billion in Iraq, and we are all
familiar with the horrendous tales of waste and abuse by U.S.
contractors in Iraq. The taxpayer, that is you out there has
been ravaged by the profiteering in Iraq. But even worse, despite
the billions, our brave troops have been shortchanged with
inadequate equipment to protect their lives and shoddy medical
care, if they make it back home, to treat wounds of the body
and of the mind.
Now the President has threatened to veto the House bill,
which is before the Senate, because it sets a date to withdraw,
provides
funding until late July and "could unreasonably burden
the President's exercise of his constitutional authorities,
including his authority as Commander in Chief."
President Bush has also objected to funding for rebuilding
the Gulf Coast States after Hurricane Katrina, funding to improve
health care for our troops and our veterans, funding for the
shortfall in the State Children's Health Insurance Program,
funding for Low-Income Heating Assistance Program, and more
funding for Homeland Security.
This President, our President has a single-minded obsession
with Iraq, and he appears to see no value in anything except
continuing his chaotic "mission impossible." While
tilting at windmills may have been a harmless procedure for
Don Quixote, Mr. Bush's war is turning the sands of Iraq blood
red.
Mr. Bush raises constitutional concerns in his latest
veto threat. I don't know whether to laugh or to cry. I don't
no
whether to laugh or to cry. I suppose one could be encouraged
that "constitutional concerns" exist in the Bush
kingdom. After setting aside the Constitution whenever convenient
to justify preemptive attacks, illegal searches, secret wiretapping,
clandestine military tribunals, treaty violations, kidnapping,
torture, and a rejection of habeas corpus, one has to wonder
about the nature of these purported "constitutional concerns."
If the Constitution is finally to be read, let us read it
in its entirety, including the articles which give the people's
representatives that is us the power over the purse yes, the
power over the purse; don't ever forget it. That is the real
power. It gives the people's representatives the power over
the purse and the power to declare war.
In its statement of administrative policy, the administration
claims that the House bill before us "..... is likely
to unleash chaos in Iraq. ....." Mr. President, what do
we have now if not chaos in Iraq? Securing Iraq has unaccountably
morphed into securing Baghdad, and even that goal eludes us.
I doubt if building a wall around the green zone is going to
be of much consequence in securing Baghdad, not to mention
the very strange message such a wall conveys concerning our
purported liberation of Iraq.
The President, our President continues to miss the point.
Iraq is at war with itself. America cannot create a stable
democracy in Iraq at the point of a gun. While our troops succeeded
in toppling Saddam Hussein, it is the President's profound
misunderstanding of the dynamics in Iraq that have led to the
failure of his Iraq policies. Why in the world should we now
believe the claims that he makes in his veto threat?
There must be an end to this occupation of Iraq. Yes, I say
occupation for it is no longer a war in which U.S. troops should
be involved. Our troops won the war they were sent to fight,
and they should not now be asked to serve as targets in a religious
conflict between Sunni and Shiites that has raged for thousands
of years. It is reported that even a majority in the Iraqi
Parliament now supports legislation which demands a scheduled
withdrawal and an immediate freeze on the number of foreign
soldiers in Iraq.
In April, Congress set a new course for the war in Iraq. Sadly,
the President our stubborn, uncompromising President chose
to veto that bill. As we prepare to go to conference again,
the President continues to close his eyes and cover his ears
to the reality in Iraq, and the urgent need for a new direction.
Whatever decision is made in conference will not be the last
chapter in this sad story. God willing, this Senator will not
close his eyes, nor will he cover his ears, nor will I stand
by in silence.
Hear me.
We need to conclude this terrible, awful mistake that we have
made in Iraq. I said in the beginning that we ought not go
into Iraq. But we are there. Anti-Americanism is more robust
now than in any period in our history because of Iraq. Do you
hear that? The international community is skeptical -- why
should they not be? They are skeptical of U.S. intentions because
of Iraq. Our Constitution has been trampled -- hear that. Our
Constitution has been trampled because of Iraq. Thousands of
U.S. troops and Iraqi citizens have lost their lives because
of Iraq. Thousands more are maimed physically or mentally because
of Iraq. Billions of U.S. dollars have been wasted because
of Iraq.
President Bush has lost all credibility. President Bush, our
President, has lost all, all credibility because of Iraq.
Terrorism is on the rise worldwide because of Iraq. May God
grant this Congress that is, us may God grant this Congress
the courage to come together and answer the cries of a majority
of the people who sent us here. Find a way to end this horrible
catastrophe, this unspeakable, unspeakable ongoing calamity
called Iraq. May God help us in the United States.
Bob Geiger is a political writer, specializing in coverage
of the United States Senate for AlterNet and other Progressive
web sites. You can reach Bob at geiger.bob@gmail.com and
read more from him at BobGeiger.com.
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