Dear President Elect Obama:

Can there still be any doubt that we have set a bad example as a leader of nations? Our policies of torture, pre-emptive strikes, and regime change in foreign lands to soothe our domestic security fears have set a very dangerous precedent for world peace. Ne'er a war has ever been fought where the aggressors did not somehow convince themselves that they are acting in "self defense". We are hardwired to think of our tribe as good and the other one as bad.

At this defining moment in our history we need to step out of that paradox and re-establish the paradigm that is represented by the founding principles of the constitution. Before we can engage in effective diplomacy we need to rebuild our credibility as a leader of nations by coming clean. Of course you are assembling a new administration and you are clearly focused on setting a new tone. Of course you have much on your plate and the economy tops your agenda. Of course we all want to look forward to a new day. But there is a task that demands attention almost immediately after your inauguration.

As a nation we elected president Bush to represent us. It took us a while to realize that he not only led the way to disgrace us internationally but also may well have been complicit in illegal acts of unprecedented proportions. Sure we can say that its all in the past but unless we hold his administration accountable for any crimes that may have been committed in our name we can not possibly have any credibility to influence other nations to seek peaceful and just solutions to their conflicts.

We not only need justice to be served to honor those who sacrificed their lives but justice must also be served to demonstrate that our nation is bigger than a single administration, that our values prevail beyond the expediency of the moment, that the creed of liberty and justice for all can be hijacked in the short term but will prevail in the long run both abroad and most importantly at home.

If, as the mounting evidence seems to suggest, the events of September 11th were not the work of a few terrorists but maybe part of an elaborate scheme to balloon defense spending so that a select few could siphon off their 10%, then who financed this attack, far from being irrelevant as the 9/11 commission seems to suggest, is at the root of our current malaise. 9/11 was an act of violence against humanity not an act of war against the US. Our response should have been to apply the power of the law with all its investigative might and punitive arsenal to deter anyone from trying it again.

We don't bomb our inner cities because that's where gang members live. We recognize that to do so would inflict endless suffering on innocent people and would turn them against us and drive them into the hands of the local warlords. How can we criticize Russia or Israel after we bombed foreign lands in response to this crime that was never fully investigated?

Terrorists must be exposed and isolated whether they wear a turban or a suit. The only deterrent to the spread of terrorism is that the individuals involved and associated will be brought to justice. If the collapse of the twin towers in Manhattan was caused by explosives as the growing 

On the flipside of that coin, imagine the credibility that we could gain if we proved to all the world that we are serious about justice by completing a detailed and open investigation of the events around September 11th. Imagine the good will we could generate and the example we could set by rooting out the rotten core in our own society and setting a precedent that would make future leaders think twice about trying a stunt like this? Imagine the progress we could make on domestic issues if this bogus "war on terror" doesn't preoccupy our attention and drain our resources anymore? Imagine the support we could garnish from all nations of the world to encourage a continued exposure of covert support for terrorist activities?

The national debate around this issue is growing. Please do not glance over it. Once we clear our conscience we will all be able to unite behind the monumental task of leading the world with dignity through this troubled time. "One voice can change a room, and if one voice can change a room, it can change a city, and if it can change a city it can change a state, and if it can change a state it can change the nation, and if it can change the nation it can change the world." 

Please, President Obama, continue to be that voice.