President Bush wants Congress to establish a military kangaroo-court that he can use to execute terrah-ists without ever allowing them to see the evidence against them.
I think that is dishonorable.
In response Democratic lawmakers teamed up with fair-minded Republicans to craft a system that, according to John McCain, "...must provide enough guarantees of fairness that the nation would feel comfortable having its own troops tried under it."
I think that track is honorable. Moreover, I think Mr. McCain's statement is worthy of an American and it makes me proud.
Believe it or not America has been in war before. Believe it or not America has captured prisoners of war before. Believe it or not we already have an honorable system to process them.
Do you know why we should use it?
Because when you fight with honor you maintain morale.
Why should we use waterboarding, a favorite technique of the Salem witch-hunters?
Why should we use concentration camps to "forget" people in?
Why should we discourage the Red Cross, an organization recently headed by Elizabeth Dole, from insuring our prisoners are treated fairly?
Pentagon Lawyers Challenge Detainee Plan
We have the right to call ourselves American when we face challenges without losing track of our values.
ADDENDUM: Chris Mathews interviewed John Kerry on this story. Nothing says we elected the wrong guy like this conversation.
Kerry on POWs
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