Clinton impeached in historic decision

WASHINGTON, Dec 19 (PTI, UNI) — In a historic decision, the US House of Representatives today impeached President Bill Clinton on charges of committing perjury in a testimony before the grand jury and obstruction of justice in the Lewinsky case.

After a long acrimonious debate spread over two days the House voted to uphold at least two charges against Mr Clinton, making the first elected President to be impeached in US constitutional history.

But the House rejected two other articles of impeachment recommended by its judicial panel, alleging perjury in a civil suit in the Paula Jones’ case and abuse of power.

Adoption of at least one article is sufficient for a Senate trial that could lead to Mr Clinton’s ouster.

The stage is all set for a long-drawn salacious trial in the Upper House, which must decide by a two-thirds majority on whether to remove the President.

Earlier, the House rejected a last minute attempt by Democrats to refer back the articles of impeachment to the judicial panel with instructions to censure Mr Clinton rather than impeach him.

Mr Clinton called for a compromise solution today to stave off his ouster after the House of Representatives voted to impeach him.

The House voted 228-206 to impeach Mr Clinton with 223 Republicans and five Democrats in favour. Five Republicans threw their weight behind 200 Democrats and a lone Independent to carry through the charge.

One representative did not vote.

Another charge relating to obstruction of justice was approved by lawmakers by 221-212 votes.

Lawmakers rejected two other charges relating to perjury in the Paula Jones’ sexual harassment case and abuse of power for falsely answering questions posed by judicial panel chief Henri Hyde.

The second perjury charge was shot down by 229-205 votes with 28 Republicans backing 200 Democrats and a lone Independent.

The House defeated the last article of impeachment by a margin of 37 votes. Only 148 voted in favour while 285 voted against passing the charge.

Mr Clinton’s political future now rests in the Democrat-led Senate, where a two-thirds majority is required to impeach a President. Democrats and Republicans have a strength of 545 in the Upper House, making any impeachment highly improbable.

In the only other presidential trial in history, President Andrew Johnson won an impeachment trial by one vote while Richard Nixon stepped down before trial could start in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal.

Livingstone sets precedent

WASHINGTON, Dec 19 (PTI) — Speaker-elect Bob Livingston told a stunned U.S. House of Representatives debating impeachment of President Bill Clinton today that he would resign for his admitted marital infidelities and asked the President to follow suit.

In a dramatic move, hours before the House was to vote on whether to ask the Senate to try the President, for the second time in U.S. history, Livingston, said he would resign for his string of extra-marital affairs and urged Clinton to resign too.

But White House spokesman, Joe Lockhart, quickly rejected Livingston’s call asking Clinton to resign and instead urged the Speaker-elect to reconsider his decision.

The President, said Lockhart, would continue to do "what is best in the interest of the country" which he defined as remaining President and pushing his agenda for the American public.

After the House reconvened today to resume Clinton’s impeachment on four counts, including abuse of power, perjury and obstruction of justice, for his handling of the Monica Lewinsky case, Livingston, who admitted to a string of affairs yesterday, took the floor to ask Clinton to resign.

"I can only challenge you in such fashion if I am willing to heed my own words," he announced after his impassioned plea was greeted with boos and catcalls by enraged Democrats who saw the proceedings as a "political witchhunt" against Clinton.

Fourth night of destruction
70 killed in strikes: Iraq

DUBAI, Dec 19 (PTI) — The USA and Britain continued their relentless aerial onslaught on military targets in and around Baghdad for the fourth consecutive night today as much of the Arab world began the fasting month of Ramazan.

But a defiant Iraq dug in its heels refusing to make any concessions on its stand-off with the UN arms inspectors to end the devastating attacks that have left 70 dead and ruined much of Baghdad.

"The issue of UNSCOM is now in the past, the commission of spies is now is the past," Iraqi Vice-President Taha Yassin Ramadan said in an unrelenting speech in Baghdad.

Grappling with a twin crisis at the same time, US President Bill Clinton facing impeachment at home, said the airstrikes which started on Wednesday were "going well."

"Our mission is clear — to degrade Saddam’s capacity, to develop and deliver weapons of mass destruction and threaten the region...I believe the mission is going well," he said in his weekly address broadcast live from the White House.

In Britain Prime Minister Tony Blair said the allied attacks were succeeding and the next step was to discuss the strategy of containment of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Four British tornado fighter-bombers tonight raided Iraqi targets, he confirmed.

Iraqis were anxiously waiting to see if the strikes would end with the commencement of holy month of Ramadan after the skies over Baghdad were incandescent with anti-aircraft fire and deafening detonations of cruise missiles and bombs.

Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz said his people did not expect any respite from the US and British attacks during the holy month, recalling that Baghdad was attacked by them during Ramadan in 1991.

So far more cruise missiles have been fired at Baghdad in the last three nights than during the entire Gulf war of 1991.

Iraq has so far claimed that these missiles have hit a refinery, hospital and other civilian targets.

In London, British Defence Secretary George Robertson said the forces had attacked 100 separate targets of Iraq and the country’s chemical and biological warfare weapons had been severely damaged.

Iraq press, meanwhile, continued its condemnation of the USA, bellowing defiance.

In the meantime, President Clinton, in a televised address to the Arab world today said us air strikes against Iraq were directed against the regime of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and not the Muslim world.

"Our dispute is with a leader who threatens Muslims and non-Muslims alike," said Mr Clinton in a pre-recorded message.

"Saddam simply must not be allowed to threaten his neighbours or the world with nuclear arms, poison gas or biological weapons," he said.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair had to face angry protests from members in House of Commons against the action and criticised the attack and British participation in it.

Mr Blair had even pulled his own partymen who were trying to berate US President Bill Clinton and the action.

The US warplanes have also "bombed" Iraqi troops in southern Iraq with paper leaflets warning them not to attack Kuwait or moderate states in the region or they would be destroyed by bombs and missiles.

In a propaganda move, the leaflets fell on bases, promising troops that current air strikes on Iraq would spare them if they did not strike against the allies.

ISLAMABAD: Several religious groups in Pakistan today threatened to attack US embassies all over the world if America continued its military strike against Iraq.

Vice-Chairman of Jamaat-e-Islam Liaqat Baloch, addressing a protest rally in Lahore warned, "Islamic movement all over the world will target US embassies and will make the life hell for Americans if Clinton did not hold his fire immediately".

Protesters demonstrated along the streets of Pakistan, shouting slogans against Mr Clinton and burnt his effigies, condemning the attack on Iraq. They also accused him of launching the attack "to divert attention from his impeachment proceedings back home."