Bush's 'Imperial Presidency'

Helen Thomas, railing against George Bush's "imperial presidency", views war against Iraq as unstoppable.

"If you don't think there's going to be a war," the veteran journalist said in a speech Thursday night at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, "you're out of your mind."

Thomas, who has covered the White House for decades and is currently a columnist for Hearst newspapers, described Bush as a secretive warmonger who has "chipped away at civil rights like no other President in recent memory".

As examples, she cited spying on e-mails and detaining thousands of suspects without charging them.

Thomas said Bush has failed to articulate a convincing argument for attacking Iraq. She accused him of using the nation's fear after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to propel the country into an "unprovoked" war.

"Iraq is a big threat? Baloney", she said.

Thomas called on peacemakers to make their voices heard.

"The silence on a possible war is deafening", she said, drawing loud applause. "The greatest sin is silence."