On June 9, 2008, Representative [Dennis] Kucinich of Ohio read 35 Articles of Impeachment against [President George W.] Bush (and a similar list of charges against Cheney) into the Congressional Record. Surprised at how few of my fellow citizens have even heard of this (not 1 in 10 as of June 26), I raise the subject with strangers now and then.

Predictably, many so-called patriotic Americans don’t even want to hear about it. The topper was a member of the U.S. Armed Services who tried to dismiss the whole matter as my “opinion,” told me point-blank to “Shut up,” and then threatened me with bodily harm in front of other customers in a grocery store check-out line if I wouldn’t.

I served in the U.S. military, too. When I enlisted, I was required to take an oath to, among other things, protect and defend the U.S. Constitution, and I assume this fellow has taken the same oath. Perhaps he’s never read the Bill of Rights. I love the United States and the ideals for which it is supposed to stand. I support our troops, too. Lest I be misunderstood here, let me make it clear that I respect their commitment and do not wish to see the lives of these brave men and women squandered over outrageous lies or misguided efforts to control resources, which aren’t ours to control. Nor should they be sent into no-win situations where the longer they stay, the more hostile the surrounding population can be expected to become.

How many American and Iraqi deaths will be sufficient for the satisfaction of the likes of John “We’ll stay for 100 years” McCain? What will we gain by all this?

We had every right to invade Afghanistan under international law and under the circumstances surrounding the 9/11 attacks. We had every right, as far as I am concerned, to slaughter Al Qaeda and the Taliban en mass; I’m no shrinking-violet-turn-the-other-cheek-no-matter-what liberal. Few people are; it isn’t natural. But we had no right to invade Iraq under false pretext and it’s past time for Congress to stand up in its collective hind legs and say so ... and nobody has the right to tell me to “shut up” about this.

Lars Opland

Wasilla