Impeachment Talk Is Back

Peter Irons’ article (Editorial Pages, Feb. 10), “The Impeachment Question Is Back,” is a diatribe that cannot go unanswered.

Isn’t Irons aware that Richard Nixon was never tried and that his “removal from office” was therefore not “inevitable”? The Constitution guarantees the presumption of innocence until proven guilt. Why isn’t that part of Irons’ idea of the law?

Nixon wasn’t “forced to resign,” he resigned to save the country months, perhaps years, of devastating political disruption brought on largely by Nixon-haters.

If the Reagan-haters have indeed unearthed something they can hang their hats on, they will no doubt resort to the same railroading tactics used on Nixon. No doubt they are currently busy as bees trying to stir the public into hysteria. Without doubt they are stumbling over each other in the hope of becoming heroes, perhaps even another Sen. Sam Ervin. The spectacle is disgusting and detrimental to the welfare of this country.

Irons’ claims of violations of Sections 956 and 960 of Title 18, U.S. Code, resurrect some questions latent in the minds of most of us less vindictive in our political views. Why are some members of Congress so selective in their accusations? For instance, why weren’t John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson impeached for their military operations in Vietnam, with which we were not “formally at war”?

Why weren’t Johnson and Jimmy Carter impeached for their obvious failure to enforce Public Law 87-733? This law, passed in 1962, stated that the United States was resolved “To prevent by whatever means may be necessary, including the use of arms, the Marxist-Leninist regime in Cuba from extending, by force or threat of force, its aggressive or subversive activities in any part of this hemisphere.”

By Irons’ arguments, all the Presidents should have been impeached. Furthermore, based on Public Law 87-733, it would seem that the mining of Nicaraguan waters and aid to the contras were not only legal, they were mandated executions of law by the President.

Comments such as Irons’ do not help the nation’s serious dilemma in foreign policy. Uncle Sam has played the “good guy” for decades. He is currently getting kicked in his britches, even by those he helped most. He doesn’t need people like Irons to add insult to injury.

CLARENCE GUSTAVSON

Torrance