Her comment was important.  Nigeria, and the ongoing genocide, is a world-class embarassing phenomena that the US - in times gone by - would have stood up against.  But not now, not with Bush. Iran is his target, and hence any distraction to it is a problem for BushCo and the relentless war machine that the drive for ultimate power and profits at any expense has spawned.

I decided to explicitly draw out this warning, calling attention to the rapidly shortening time that we have left in which effective action can be taken, while in the Sunday Morning Open Thread.  I read and responded to a comment by heavenlytails (The Cheney shooting story is important.).

Basically, heavenlytails postulated that Cheney is a heartbeat away from having his finger on the nuclear trigger, and with his quick trigger finger, that's enough to ask him to resign or be impeached.  (I'm paraphrasing, but that's pretty close).

Those words rang true enough that I elaborated on my thinking in my response:

Finger on the button by proxy

Bush is itching to push the button.  The two of them really, really want to establish the preemption precedent in the modern era - it's not enough that the US is the only country to have used "the bomb", Bush wants to "conventionalize" the use, and expection, under his watch.

That's a primary - and distinct - agenda item outside of initiating hostilities against Iran.  They (BushCo) simply intend to use Iran as their justification.  But they are behind the 8-ball on this.  They are late in the development of hostilities, and while they consider this just a matter of time before achieving the push to attack Iran in a method more 'acceptable' than the Iraq invasion, they are concerned that they don't have the control they hope they have over the incoming investigations and various scandals.

Dick's little trigger-finger didn't help things along.

So, IMO, BushCo is going to hype Iran over and above all other items until they get their chance to initiate hostilities and drop a bomb.  Then, they'll feel more secure about attempts to derail domestic investigations through sheer hubris.

Congress has to revoke the war powers.  It would be the single fastest method to trip up the criminal push forward that can be done.

Afterward, efforts to increase the debt ceiling must be rebuffed.

Finally, Congress must shut down the government until the WH complies with the multiple, growing requests for information pertaining to the vast array of investigations of malfeasance, malpractice, dereliction of duty, negligence, criminal conduct, high crimes and misdemeanors, and failure to uphold their oaths and to serve with integrity.

This is not a game.  The stakes are now too high, and we have had more than enough leaks to show that the WH is attempting to manufacture, manipulate, and control information that would normally have citizens and legislaters up in arms.

We cannot permit these affronts to our nation, to our constitution, to our citizens and to the world to continue.

Bush is guided - sometimes kicking and screaming - by Cheney, Rove and other members of the NeoCon/PNAC/RRR cabal.  But remember - Cheney has his finger on the button by proxy.  And he just got away with shooting a 78 year old lawyer.

For his next trick, he's going to nuke a small Middle Eastern country.  This is our chance; this is our warning.

Do we heed it, or watch as our nation yet again engages in a heinous crime on the world stage, spreading the dangerous cancer that has already crippled our domestic policies and national health?

Recently, georgia10 FP'd a well-written piece called Toward A Democratic Majority: A National Identity.  I believe that a strong part of establishing a national identity, during this growing crisis of conduct and Constitution, is to work together as relentlessly as the corrupt majority party has worked.  Instead of blowing smoke up the nation's collective ass, however, this new relentless coalition must not yield, and must not be deterred, from the most important issue facing our nation at this moment in time.

Yes, I said "most important".

This issue comes with a rapidly-approaching timetable.  And it is itself tied up intimately with several other ongoing, and majority-stalled, investigations and scandals.

If we do not push for action now, to stop this Administration cold in its tracks and force a measure of accountability upon them and their Congressional enablers, we are allowing people like Dick Cheney to upgrade from a shotgun to a nuclear missile, and their capacity for destruction and criminal conduct will gain a veneer of fresh teflon as they bluster and bully their way toward accomplishing still more of their goals at our, and our nation's, expense.

I do not want that on my conscience.

I do not want that on my permanent record.

And I certainly do not want my children, my nieces and nephews, my cousins, and the children and families of friends - or even my enemies - to know that my nation stood by and allowed a clear and present danger to cry havoc, and unleash the dogs of war upon the world.

Update: Check out Signs that war with Iran is becoming more imminent by Sharon Jumper for more indications of an impending strike against Iran.