By David Swanson, 5/12/07
If, like General Electric and Fox News, ordinary citizens were
permitted to ask questions of candidates for U.S. President, these are
a few of the questions I think they might ask:
If you are elected president, which of the new presidential powers
assumed by the Bush-Cheney administration will you use? Which will you
leave available in case you decide to use them? Which will you issue
orders banning the use of?
Will you ever spy on Americans in violation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act or the Fourth Amendment?
If you ever believe that the safety of Americans requires altering
the law, will you work with Congress to try to change the law, or will
you violate it?
Will you ever use signing statements to claim the power to ignore laws?
Really? Then why are you not supporting impeachment now?
If you are elected president, will you ever detain anyone without
charge, hold anyone in a secret prison, render anyone to another nation
to be tortured, or torture anyone in U.S. custody?
Do you promise?
Will you put it in writing?
Really? Then why are you not supporting impeachment now?
If you are elected president are there any areas in which you might
ever choose to intentionally mislead the American people or Congress?
Any areas at all, large or small?
What about war? Would you ever mislead our nation into war (those of you who did so five years ago need not answer)?
If you would not, why are you not supporting impeachment now?
Honestly or otherwise, will you ever launch an aggressive war? Will you ever threaten to do so?
Really? Then why do you say that, with regard to Iran, “all options are on the table”?
The following question is addressed specifically to Senator Hillary Clinton. Why did you say the following?
“In the four years since UN inspectors left, intelligence reports
show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his biological and
chemical weapons stock, his missile delivery capability and his nuclear
program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists,
including al Qaeda members”
“It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will
continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical
warfare and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons”
“Today, Mr. President, we are asked whether to give the President of
the United States the authority to use force in Iraq should diplomatic
efforts fail to dismantle Saddam Hussein’s chemical and biological
weapons and his nuclear program”
“This is a very difficult vote. This is probably the hardest
decision I’ve ever had to make. Any vote that might lead to war should
be hard, but I cast it with conviction.”
Do you realize that video clips of you saying these things will
dominate our televisions for a year if you are nominated? How can you
now claim that President Bush rushed us into war? How can you not
support holding either him or Vice President Cheney accountable through
impeachment? Is your own complicity in the war the reason you cannot
support accountability for it? Have you asked Speaker Nancy Pelosi not
to move on impeachment? Will you, at least, pledge not to launch
another aggressive war against another nation?
The following question is addressed to former Senator John Edwards. Why did you say this?
“Mr. President, I am here to speak in support of the resolution
before us, which I cosponsored. I believe we must vote for this
resolution not because we want war, but because the national security
of our country requires action”.Saddam Hussein’s regime represents a
grave threat to America and our allies, including our vital ally,
Israel. For more than two decades, Saddam Hussein has sought weapons of
mass destruction through every available means. We know that he has
chemical and biological weapons. He has already used them against his
neighbors and his own people, and is trying to build more. We know that
he is doing everything he can to build nuclear weapons, and we know
that each day he gets closer to achieving that goal. Iraq has continued
to seek nuclear weapons and develop its arsenal in defiance of the
collective will of the international community, as expressed through
the United Nations Security Council.”
Why should we trust the power of the presidency to someone who would
say such a thing? If you claim to have learned from your crime, why
will you not oppose an aggressive attack on Iran?
The following questions are addressed to Senator Barack Obama. Why
do you claim to have opposed this war even though you have voted
consistently to fund it? Why do you not support Senator Feingold’s
proposal to end it? Why will you not take nuking Iran off the table?
The following question is addressed to all candidates: Are you
trying to end the war now, or would you prefer to have the war still
going in November 2008?