Posted by
Orville on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 11:31:33 PM
As a daily reader of the Wall Street Journal editorial page, I regularly find myself saying "that guy's gonna get flamed" in response to some ridiculous comment in a letter or column. Typically, two or three days later, my predictions come true. Since the Missus is usually the only one who hears my prognostications, I don't really get any credit for making them. Come to think of it, I have to work really hard to get any credit from her on most things, but such is my cross to bear. She's still the love of my life.
One such example is the response in today's Journal to the column by Sens. Warner, McCain and Graham regarding their work on the Military Commissions Act of 2006. William D. Allen gets the inaugural Flamethrower Award for calling them on their statement that, "These challenges are in excess of what our soldiers would be afforded as prisoners of war." Why on earth they believe that it's good, or even just, that some al Qaeda terrorist is afforded more protections than a Marine who's conducting himself within the established laws of war is beyond me. I suppose in some twisted world, one might argue they deserve the same treatment, but to elevate the one who purposely targets civilians over the grunt who fights with honor is downright disturbing, especially for U.S. senators who have all served in uniform.
Warner and Graham are both lawyers, so their refusal to come down squarely on the side of the good guys is understandable, if still inexcusable (apologies to Hugh Hewitt). The real disappointment to me is McCain. As a fellow Annapolis grad, I feel betrayed by the senior senator from Arizona that he equates my classmates that are still serving with the scum that behead innocent noncombatants. The real kicker is the fact the he's been on the receiving end of true torture himself, yet refuses to acknowledge that U.S. forces are never going to be treated humanely by this particular breed of enemy. This argument that we have to bend over backwards today in order to avoid putting our military in more danger in some future conflict just doesn't hold water. Any country that lives up to its obligations under the Geneva Conventions will understand that members of al Qaeda don't qualify for those protections. Any country that doesn't abide by Geneva won't care that we coddled terrorists in the past.
John McCain will always have my respect for his service in uniform. It's too bad he sullies that high regard by maintaining untenable positions like this one.
NOTE: The blogger served on active duty for ten years in the U.S. Navy as a helicopter pilot in the Mediterranean and Persian Gulf.