And then I go and spoil it all, by saying something stupid

In re: Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, RightWingNuthouse's Rick Moran almost gets it right:

To those of us on the right who still vigorously support the President in the War on Terror, the Hamdan ruling presents us with a golden opportunity to start repairing the damage our detainee policy at Guantanamo has inflicted upon our constitutional principles as well as our image abroad.

Actually, this isn't really right, as there really is no War on Terror, just a War in Iraq. Afghanistan is no longer the focus and BinLaden sits at his campsite playing parcheesi. But still, that sounds almost reasonable.

But then he has to get in his digs:

To those on the left who, despite the unambiguous ruling by the Supreme Court in Hamdan that we are indeed in a shooting war with al-Qaeda, but still insist that the War on Terror is some kind of gigantic Rovian plot to win elections, the decision is a godsend. It gives liberals a second chance to prove they are serious about protecting America from her enemies by joining with the President and Republicans in Congress in resolving the legal status of detainees in such a way that satisfies both the demands of justice and our national security.

2 points: First, if we are in a shooting war with al-Qaeda, then please see my previous comment about Bin Laden, who by now has moved on to computer solitaire.

Second, the tired canard "It gives liberals a second chance to prove they are serious." God I am so tired of this crap. If he was serious about stopping global terrorism, how about trying at least some of the following:

• Go after Bin Laden. Would likely make no real difference, but would give a perception of seriousness.
• Withdraw support for the Wahabbi regime in Saudi Arabia
• Stop torturing and beating kids at Guantanamo and other locations until they are proven to be terrorists.
• Sit the Israelis and Palestinians down, lock the door, and get serious.
• Tell Mubarik in Egypt that he has to get serious or we withdraw aid.
• Go to the UN (after firing John Bolton) and make a serious appeal for a global peacekeeing force to take over Iraq. Probably won't work, as most countries will say "You broke it, you fix it."
• Do something, at long last, about Darfur.

Thankfully, decently, Moran gets this part exactly right:

This mess includes the fact that our government lied to us when they informed the American people that the prisoners at Guantanamo were “the worst of the worst.” The facts contained in the military’s own records simply do not bear that out. And it is clear, at least to this observer, that one of the main reasons the government insists on holding many of these detainees is not the fear that if released they would commit heinous acts of terror but rather because by releasing them now it would prove that the military made many, many tragic mistakes in capturing, interrogating, and holding dozens of innocent men and boys.

Interestingly, one of his commenters says this:

No serious person on the left suggests that the war on terror is a Rovian plot. Americans died on 9/11. People of every State in this nation, from every politcal, racial, and socioeconomic background are fighting and dying in this war. (of course, less than .5% of the Nation is actively engaged, becuase the Republicans refused to drastically increase the size of our armed forces after 9/11). It is very real,and everyone knows it.

What they say, and the what is true, is that Rove has used it in such a way as to divide this country and take power at the expense of the law, and our rights. He has used it for politics, and they have made such a mess of it, that now everyone is scrambling to try and come up with a way to repair the damage. We were more together as Americans after 9/11 than anytime in our lives… and now look at us. Look at where they have taken us.
As your comments suggest, these guys have done a ton of damage to the US image and law. Repair is going to take decades. our very Constitution is continually threatened. The freedom of the press is being squashed. Right wing talk radio hosts publically calling for the murder of Newspaper editors. Fox news journalists are advocating for gov control of the media. Is this really the America that serious conservatives want to live in? I doubt it. This is what pushing the envelpoe on every wedge issue has done. Brought out the worst in our society. “The Decider” is not a uniter folks. Nor are the Republicans being conservative with money. They are spending like drunken sailors. I cannot think of a single thing these jokers have done right.

And sadly, right on cue, Rick responds:

You are so full of sh*t I will not take the time or make the effort to debunk the numerous idicocies in your comment.

Once an idiot, always an idiot.