This is likely what Dem Leaders fear most from Repubs....

They fear that the massive Republican obstruction that has gone on during the Democratic watch will be ignored as Repubs run on the meme that Democrats would rather pursue partisan political investigations of Cheney rather than pass needed legislation --including funding bills.

IF Dems begin impeachment proceedings and the inevitable hearings, Repubs will make sure everything else is shut down and nothing gets done.

This entire issue is really about the upcoming 2008 elections.

If Dems hold off on impeachment proceedings they think that a massive swing in the majorities of Congress is likely, and a Dem will inhabit the Oval Office. OF course the price to pay for that result is the massive damage that Bush/Cheney can do between now and Jan of 2009 when the next President takes office.

THE U.S. GOVERNMENT (no less...) a meaningless 'policy' and couldn't care less about the outstanding damages on the world stage such despicable crimes against humanity, usually associated with the world's most tyrranical regimes (in the past...)??

Their strategists R missing the boat once again, as usual. Hope they know how to swim (and so do we...).

you do remember that Presidency, don't you?

I mean that Dem was wonderful and great for the country.

But that was in a paralel dimension

the price to pay for that result is the massive damage that Bush/Cheney can do between now and Jan
Not to mention the massive damage the Dems are doing to the Dem party by thumbing their noses at the Dem base.

from a moral point of view, they are wrong. And that is the problem. There is a moral issue here. Bush and Cheney declared war based on "evidence" that they knew or should have known was a lie. We were not attacked by Hussein or Iraq or anyone directly supported or even affiliated with Iraq or Hussein. And being attacked is the only legal reason for going to war. That Iraq possessed or was trying to obtain WMDs was not, as I understand international law, sufficient grounds for our invasion.

Unless Congress impeaches Bush and Cheney, Congress is condoning Bush and Cheney's violations of international law. I do not trust a subsequent Democratic administration or anyone else to prosecute Bush and Cheney after they leave office unless impeachment proceedings that wake the American people up to the criminality of Bush and Cheney are held now.

Many Americans actually think that Hussein and Iraq were behind 9/11. Even more think that Hussein had WMDs. These misconceptions must be corrected. That is the only way that we American people can regain our moral stature and be at peace with ourselves and once again respected by the world. Congress has a moral duty to impeach Cheney and then Bush.

Although the Republicans will say that the impeachment proceedings are a political ploy, the truth is, ironically, that beginning impeachment proceedings is a greater political risk than remaining silent and letting Bush and Cheney retire with their generous pensions. But, the morally correct thing to do is to impeach. Let's see whether our Congress has moral courage or not. This will be interesting.

I am only disappointed that Kucinich's impeachment resolution does not mention torture or eavesdropping. I hope that when a resolution is brought against Bush, these crimes will not be forgotten.