Kucinich: Next President Should Arrest Bush

Kucinich: Next President Should Arrest Bush
10-15-2007
News and Policy

Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich has urged Congress to put an end to the war he says is a "gross immorality."

"The way to end the war is this: The leaders of Congress must go to the president and say, 'Mr. President, we are not going to give you another dime. Use the money you have to bring the troops home,"' the Ohio congressman said.

Kucinich told the crowd of more than 500 people that if Congress does not impeach President Bush for intentionally misleading the public, the next president should hand over Bush and his administration to law enforcement officials - a suggestion that was answered with cheers and a standing ovation from the audience.

Kucinich said he would create a policy of "strength through peace," which would focus on diplomacy, open dialogue and "at its core, would reject war as an instrument of policy."

"Somehow war and strength became equated, but now war and stupidity are being equated," he said. "We cannot buy into this mentality that the war is going to be with us for a long time."

He emphasized that he voted against the war because "there was no proof" that Iraq was linked to the Sept. 11 attacks or that Iraqis held weapons of mass destruction.

The occupation of Iraq is based on lies and oil, and Kucinich said the U.S. presence is only making things worse.

"Iraq cannot be stabilized through continued U.S. presence," he said. "The occupation is fueling the insurgency."

Kucinich walked through the aisles at Central New Mexico Community College's Smith-Brasher Hall, taking questions from the audience on issues such as immigration, education, social security and taxes.

Kucinich is among the first of the presidential candidates to campaign in New Mexico, which is home to Gov. Bill Richardson, who also is in the race.

New Mexico could prove to be a battleground state in next year's presidential election . The 2004 presidential race in New Mexico was among the closest in the country. Republican President George Bush won with 49.8 percent of the vote and a 5,988-vote margin over Democrat Sen. John Kerry .

In the end, the state's five electoral votes weren't crucial, as Bush finished with 286 electoral votes, 16 more than he needed, and Kerry 252.

Kucinich had made stops in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces and Farmington during his campaign for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination. ”