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Re: Iraq
Posted By: Sam, on host 207.41.147.32
Date: Thursday, December 17, 1998, at 16:41:25
In Reply To: Re: Iraq posted by GreenJeanz on Thursday, December 17, 1998, at 15:48:48:

> He didn't just LIE he commited PERGERY(I know that's not spelled right).

Purgery is not in itself an impeachable offense, and lying under oath is not in itself purgery. Much depends on intent and purpose. An impeachable offense is stronger than purgery. I'm not specific on the details of when it is and when it isn't, but I don't think I'm far wrong in saying that it has to be an intentional and deliberate attack on our national security. This wasn't that. This was a white lie he told that was an attempt to prevent his family from being hurt. Wrong, yes. Impeachable offense, no.

> If he would lie about something as trivial as that, what else will he lie about?

Please. A friend of mine at work put it very well when he asked, "Do you want a President that NEVER lies?" I *hope* he tells bigger lies than that, as long as he's keeping the nation's best interests. Can you imagine a President forced to tell the truth all the time? We'd have massive compromises in national security, blow foreign relations to bits, and allow every enemy or would-be enemy of this nation coming out on top every time we went up to bat. It's all very well to be idealistic about this issue, but it's not at all practical. Again, I'm not saying Clinton was right. He lied. He probably even broke the law. But it's *not* an impeachable offense, and if he's impeached, it will be a great tragedy. Ken Starr has actually committed more crimes and breaches in protocol than what they're trying Clinton for. What *he's* doing with his reprehensible entrapment tactics might well be conceived as high treason. It's certainly quite obvious he's not so much interested in evidence as he is in nailing the President. The papers he's drawn up aren't worth the paper they're printed on; what's left out is even more interesting.

I'll say a third time (or fourth time? fifth time?). I think Bill Clinton was wrong. I don't like him as a President. But impeaching him over this will set a terrible precedent. Furthermore, Ken Starr's unethical prosecution methods will hurt us, the people, if adopted by other prosecutors -- not just government officials they happen to target.

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