Republican Joins Demands for Downing Street Investigation

Remember the Downing Street Memos? They were the British government documents that were leaked to the public earlier this year, providing evidence that the Republicans in the Bush White House were planning to deceive the American public in order to provoke a war with Iraq – and that George W. Bush was set on going to war with Iraq even if there was no pressing national interest in doing so.

Well, what with the Karl Rove leak scandal, the John Roberts nomination to the Supreme Court, and the Cindy Sheehan-inspired protests against the Iraq War, the story of the Downing Street memos had faded into the background a bit over the summer.

Now, the Downing Street memos may be pushing their way back up into public consciousness. In an unprecedented move, a Republican member of Congress from Iowa is co-sponsoring H. Res 375 – a bill demanding that “the President and directing the Secretary of State to transmit to the House of Representatives not later than 14 days after the date of the adoption of this resolution all information in the possession of the President and the Secretary of State relating to communication with officials of the United Kingdom between January 1, 2002, and October 16, 2002, relating to the policy of the United States with respect to Iraq.” In other words, H. Res. 375 would start an investigation looking for the American equivalents of the Downing Street memos.

What the Downing Street memos suggest is that President Bush broke the law, engaging in a purposeful conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Congress and the American people. So, H. Res 375 really amounts to a first step in an effort to hold George W. Bush and his inner circle legally accountable – and impeach them.

For Republican Congressman Jim Leach to join this effort is an amazing step forward for the anti-war movement and the effort to impeach Bush. A few months ago, it would have been inconceivable for a Republican member of Congress to break ranks with George W. Bush. A few months ago, the Republicans in Congress, including Jim Leach, refused even to allow Democratic Congressman John Conyers to hold a hearing asking questions about the Downing Street memos. All that harumphing from the Republicans about the so-called Bush mandate has long-since evaporated like mist in the morning sun.

And so, it makes a certain kind of political sense that Republican members of Congress like Jim Leach are now starting to turn on President Bush. After all, there is a nationwide congressional election coming up in 2006 – in just a little over a year from now. Every single member of the House of Representatives, including Jim Leach, will have to run for re-election, and their campaigns are starting right now.

Given the disastrous quagmire that the Iraq War has turned into, the current members of Congress have a lot to answer for. After all, most of those congressional representatives, including Jim Leach, supported Bush’s rush to invade and occupy Iraq. They failed to stand up to the Bush Administration bullies. They failed to demand evidence that the war was necessary. Only a brave minority in Congress did the right thing and opposed the war before it started. In most of the congressional districts across America, a strong majority of voters are now anti-war. That’s certainly the case for Jim Leach, whose district includes the liberal activist center of Iowa City.

So, I’m glad that Republican Jim Leach has finally come to his senses and decided to demand answers about the Bush Administration’s planning for the Iraq War. But, you know, I’d also really like to see Jim Leach’s office release all of its own memos about the planning for an Iraq War in 2001, 2002 and 2003. What exactly was Jim Leach saying to his staff members about the obvious lack of evidence for a need for war – and what were his communications with other Republicans in Congress about that problem?

I hope that more Republican members of Congress add their support to H. Res 375, and demand answers from the Bush Administration. However, for every single member of Congress that voted to support the invasion and occupation of Iraq, a small version of the Downing Street memos lies in waiting. The American people deserves full documentation, complete explanations, and unvarnished apologies from each one of them.