Signs of Spines

Senators Defy Bush On Terror Measure
Panel Backs Rival Bill On Interrogations

By Charles Babington and Jonathan Weisman
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, September 15, 2006; Page A01

A Senate committee rebuffed the personal entreaties of President Bush yesterday, rejecting his proposed strategies for interrogating and trying enemy combatants and approving alternative legislation that he has strenuously opposed.

The bipartisan vote sets up a legislative showdown on an issue that GOP strategists had hoped would unite their party and serve as a cudgel against Democrats in the Nov. 7 elections. Instead, Bush and congressional Republican leaders are at loggerheads with a dissident group led by Sen. John McCain (R), who says the president's approach would jeopardize the safety of U.S. troops and intelligence operatives.

I've been dreadin' posting on this. I didn't think, even with all the evidence and information supporting it (not to mention a fine reference for our Senators in these matters) that enough Republicans in the Senate would really stand up on this one as Human Beings first, partisans second.

Kudos to McCain. Those are deserved even if too many of his decisions have led to massive death totals in Iraq and elsewhere.

I mean it too. Credit where it's due. Regardless o' past offenses. Those aren't forgotten.

McCain told reporters that Hayden wants Congress to give the CIA a virtually free hand to treat detainees as it wishes so that he and his agents will be immunized against accusations of unlawful conduct. "He's trying to protect his reputation at the risk of America's reputation," McCain said. The senator noted that other nations would be more likely to abuse U.S. captives if Americans appeared to sanction such conduct.

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