"[Bush] met America's foreign challenges with decisiveness born of a brand of preternatural, faith-based, self-generated certainty. The policy process never changed much. Issues argued, often vociferously, at the level of deputies and principals rarely seemed to go upstream in their fullest form to the President's desk; and, if they did, it was often after Bush seemed to have already made up his mind based on what was so often cited as his 'instinct' or 'gut.' Later, after Armitage and Powell left office, Armitage -- in his blunt manner -- put it succinctly: 'There was never any policy process to break, by Condi or anyone else. There was never one from the start. Bush didn't want one, for whatever reasons. One was never started'."
CHENEY NEEDS TO BE IMPEACHED
Since Cheney has carried out most of his high crimes and misdemeanors in deep secret, way back behind the public curtain, and since most of his decisions have resulted in disaster abroad and a kind of police-state rule at home-- thus endangering the national-security of the U.S. and mangling the Constitution -- it seems clear that he cannot be permitted to continue exercising his vast, destructive policies for the next year and a half.
Ideally, of course, it should be both Bush and Cheney at the same time testifying before the House impeachment panel, but if that can't happen, let's at least get the ball rolling by impeaching President Cheney first. Now. #
Bernard Weiner, Ph.D. in government & international relations, has taught at universities in Washington and California, worked as a writer/editor with the San Francisco Chronicle for two decades, and currently co-edits The Crisis Papers (www.crisispapers.org). To comment: crisispapers@comcast.net .
First published by The Crisis Papers and Democratic Underground 7/10/07.
htpp://www.crisispapers.org/essays7w/shadow.htm
Copyright 2007 by Bernard Weiner.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).