Hello, friends, this is Blase Bonpane with a comment.

September 11, 2001 was a tragedy for the United States of America.

It was a tragedy for the families of those who perished in Washington and in New York and Pennsylvania. It was a tragedy for thousands of victims of retaliation and vengeance against the people of Afghanistan who had no part whatsoever in the attacks on the United States.

And it was also a tragedy for the people of the United States who did not suffer directly from the attacks.

The tragedy is that an unelected individual gained near dictatorial powers. Are you aware of the manic obsession that Bush and Cheney are demonstrating? Have you ever wondered about their motivation?  They can speak of  nothing but starting a war when the whole world is telling them not to do this.

The Generals are telling them not to do this. The Kissingers are telling them not to do this. The Scowcrofts are telling them not to do this. The UN  weapons inspectors of Iraq are telling them not to do this. Republican senators are telling them not to do this. The people of the United States are telling them not to do this.

Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney I have reviewed every possible reason for your intransigence on this matter.

You have no right to conduct a first strike war of aggression against Iraq. Your repetitious babble and threats of slaughter  against the Iraqi people are bankrupt. Your claims are a lie.

You are planning to put the finest of our young people in harms way.

You are willing to see them come home in body bags.

You are willing to kill even more Iraqi children than our illegal immoral 
and terroristic policy has over the past 11 years.

Why are you demanding this  blood bath?

Because you closest political advisers your election advisers have explained to you that the Republican Party is going to lose in November if there is no war. Therefore, you are willing to preside over this slaughter to get reelected.

This is impeachable Mr. Bush and Cheney. 

At first I thought the reason might be oil alone. But if it were you might get more 
support from your hawkish partisans. 

No, oil is not enough of a reason. Iraq will sell you as much oil as you want. 

Once the American people understand your motives, and they understand them better every day, I think they will support your impeachment George Bush, you are not allowed to protect your position  by plotting the death of our service people. Dick Cheney, you are not allowed to cover your business dealings on under the coffins of our service people.

The United States is in a condition of severe deterioration. Health facilities are closing, Schools are shabby, unemployment is rampant. Exactly what have you done for the core needs of the people of the United States?

By their fruits you shall know them.  Indeed the militarists are asking for our cult like acceptance. They are asking us all to commit suicide. This is indeed the Heaven's Gate Cult of 2002. Bush talks of preemptive nuclear strikes, Friends these strikes go far beyond the killing capacity of the Third Reich. One Trident Submarine can easily kill 55 million people. And people like George who are going to make these choices would be incapable of identifying any of the victim countries on the map! 

 But we pledge resistance together with the Coalition for World Peace, together with Pax Christi, together with the American Friends Service Committee, together with the Education for Peace in Iraq Center, together with the Episcopal Peace Fellowship, together with the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the Lutheran Peace Fellowship, the National Network to End the War in Iraq and together with Voices in the Wilderness. 

WE PLEDGE TO JOIN WITH OTHERS TO ENGAGE IN ACTS OF NONVIOLENT CIVIL  DISOBEDIENCE AT U.S. FEDERAL FACILITIES IN ORDER TO PREVENT OR HALT THE DEATH AND DESTRUCTION THAT U.S. MILITARY ACTION CAUSES THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ.

Join us every Friday from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the Westwood Federal Building.

Join us at Palisades Park in Santa Monica near the pier on Ocean Avenue at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, September 11 for a vigil to commemorate the deaths of all who died in The United States and all who died as a result of the crass militarism and vengeance that followed.

For a free copy of this commentary please call 323/852-9808….323/852-9808.

This is Blase Bonpane