Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the Senate voted 97-0 to continue the pointless and immoral War on Iraq.
To quote from http://MSNBC.com
WASHINGTON - The Senate voted Friday to give President Bush $50 billion more for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan... In a 97-0 vote, the GOP-controlled Senate signed off on the money as part of a $445 billion military spending bill...The measure would also put restrictions on the treatment of detainees
On the dim side, the anti-atrocity restrictions (when it is systematic, it becomes an atrocity) must yet pass through the House-Senate conference committee, though iirc there is a requisite approval afterwards of the conference action.
On the dim side, this is 50 billion dollars and probably another thousand or two thousand lives thrown pointlessly away because some piece of leadership lacks the fortitude to attempt to undue old errors.
Coherent paragraphs below flip
WASHINGTON - The Senate voted Friday to give President Bush $50 billion more for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and U.S. military efforts against terrorism, money that would push total spending for the operations beyond $350 billion.
In a 97-0 vote, the GOP-controlled Senate signed off on the money as part of a $445 billion military spending bill for the budget year that began Oct. 1. The measure would also put restrictions on the treatment of detainees who are suspected terrorists -- a provision that has drawn a White House veto threat and demonstrated a willingness by Republican lawmakers to challenge Bush.
On the bright side, this measure does put in place the ban on committing war crimes, a ban that is already in place in American law. Under American Law, an American who while abroad kidnaps someone has committed an American crime. Under American law, an American who tortures someone has committed several crimes under American Law.
And there is no sign that the Democratic Party is any better on this issue than the Republicans, a real down turn relative to the War on Vietnam.