The announcement today that the remains of Captain Scott Speicher have been found at his crash site debunks yet another Bush/Cheney justification for the Iraq war.

Captain Speicher (from Jacksonville FL) was shot down in the first Gulf War in 1991. His crash site and remains were never found despite several covert missions into Iraq in intervening years to attempt to locate him.

Bush and Cheney reported that they had solid intelligence reports that Captain Speicher was alive; held in captivity, and routinely tortured by Saddam. The idea that one of our own had been left on the battle field and was still being held after 12 years inflamed the military. Invading Iraq to free Captain Speicher became a rallying point among the military and many right wing neocons.

Many of us doubted the reliability of the Bush/Cheney intelligence evidence as Senator Bill Nelson (D-Florida) who sits on the Senate Intel committee only asked for a special investigation. Knowing that Senator Nelson was not convinced by the secret evidence was another strike against the Bush/Cheney invasion justifications.

Captain Speicher's wife (although remarried) was put through an emotional nightmare by Bush/Cheney throwing out the idea that her husband was still alive. Thus providing more evidence that neither Bush nor Cheney had any empathy towards any other person; classic sociopathic behavior.

So today, we mark the sad news that a brave pilot serving his country was indeed killed in 1991. His death made even sadder by the immoral use of his name to help justify a war that has killed and maimed hundreds of thousands.

Our thoughts go out to the family of Captain Speicher.

Our apologies also go out to the family for allowing our former President and Vice-President to abuse the name of Captain Speicher for such treasonous purposes.