I Guess It's Two Years Gone By

It seems to me that nobody focuses on how we found ourselves at this point. Two years on, with American soldiers still fighting and dying in Iraq. There were no WMD stockpiles, and the CIA has confirmed that the invasion increased, not decreased, the terrorist presence in Iraq. And don't let anybody tell you that there were other reasons for this invasion. The President went to Congress for a resolution authorizing the use of U.S. troops to invade – and to comply with that authorization, he sent the following letter to Congress, two years ago today:

Presidential Letter

Text of a Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate

March 18, 2003

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)

Consistent with section 3(b) of the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Public Law 107-243), and based on information available to me, including that in the enclosed document, I determine that:

(1) reliance by the United States on further diplomatic and other peaceful means alone will neither (A) adequately protect the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq nor (B) likely lead to enforcement of all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq; and

(2) acting pursuant to the Constitution and Public Law 107-243 is consistent with the United States and other countries continuing to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations, or persons who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001.

Sincerely,

GEORGE W. BUSH

This requires a real investigation, not the half-hearted, "how could the intelligence agencies have been so wrong" inquiry now under way. Pardon my language, but dammit, this is actionable, people.

But somehow, Congress is more concerned with investigating whether Jose Canseco stuck a needle full of steroids into Mark McGwire's derriere.

(And, yes, Rep. Henry Waxman did send a letter to the Committee Chair stating that the testimony of Canseco and McGwire was necessary "to get to the bottom of this growing scandal.")