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★★★★★
Unfortunately, Bush II Was Never Prosecuted -
The book begins with Bugliosi's assertion that Bush has committed the most serious crime in American history - deliberately taking this country to war in Iraq under false pretenses. Over 170,000 died, including nearly 4,500 American soldiers. That crime is augmented by failing to provide troops with sufficient IED-strengthened vehicles and body armor, underfunding the military medical system (especially back in the U.S.), and short-changing troops on pay. Instead, we gave the top 1% a $1.3 trillion tax break. Bugliosi is further angered by Bush's public insensitivity to military losses (eg, "giving up golf during the war," "talking about his little owie when visiting disabled veterans"), lack of curiosity, and repeated displays of stupidity (eg. an ignorance of geography that led to telling the Chinese premier during a St. Petersburg meeting that the premier was lucky to be "close to home" (actually an 8-hour flight - about the same as Bush's). Eventually it became the conventional wisdom among conservatives that finding no WMD in Iraq was immaterial because the real, unstated reason for invading Iraq was not just to overthrow Hussein and establish a democracy in Iraq that would spread like April flowers throughout the Arab world - thereby eliminating the threat of terrorism in America by Islamic extremists. (This reason was never given by the Bush administration at the time of its buildup to war.) Bugliosi believes Bush deserves much more than impeachment and removal from office. He goes on to state that it is not necessary that Bush personally participated - vicarious liability arises from his leading a conspiracy (aka Charles Manson). In addition, Bush acted under reckless and wanton disregard for the consequences, and did so under false pretenses. However, he could be prosecuted only after leaving office. The false pretenses attach to two issues - that Hussein did not present an "imminent" threat as implied, and Iraq was not working with Al Qaeda. Is this all an academic exercise? I think not - Bugliosi also shows that every state has had soldiers killed in Iraq, thus providing an opportunity for 50 Attorneys General and any number of county prosecutors. Finally, Bugliosi contends that the execution of the Iraq war couldn't have been worse - the previously referenced lack of planning and equipment, being caught totally flat-footed on 9/11, ignoring the Palestinian issue throughout his administration, opposing the 9/11 Commission's creation and impeding its work, and allowing Bin Laden to escape into Pakistan. Bugliosi's credibility as a prosecutor is exemplary. Maybe he'll get the opportunity to prosecute Bush et al in 2009.
May 2008 · Books
the product in question
The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder
4.4★ · 368 ratings, as of 2023
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