A couple of interesting articles came out in the media this morning. It makes me wonder how serious America is about winning the War on Terror. Yes, we are still at war; and yes, there are still people out there trying to kills us. If you need recent examples, just check out Religion of Peace.com

The first bit of news has to do with a recent Senate approved ban on Waterboarding as port of the new intelligence bill.

The Senate voted yesterday to ban waterboarding and other harsh interrogation tactics used by the CIA, matching a previous House vote and putting Congress on a collision course with the White House over a pivotal national security issue.

In a 51 to 45 vote, the Senate approved an intelligence bill that limits the CIA to using 19 less-aggressive interrogation tactics outlined in a U.S. Army Field Manual. The measure would effectively ban the use of simulated drowning, temperature extremes and other harsh tactics that the CIA used on al-Qaeda prisoners after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

President Bush has vowed to veto the legislation, which the House approved in December, and Congress does not appear to have enough votes to override a veto.

The second bit of news has to do with with harsh and cruel conditions at Gitmo:

The admissions made by the men — who were given food whenever they were hungry as well as Starbucks coffee at the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba — played a key role in the government’s decision to proceed with the prosecutions, military and law enforcement officials said.

What do the people we have entrusted to run our country think they are playing at? This is very serious stuff, and yet they proceed as if this was a schoolyard disagreement, and seem determined to assume we have an honorable enemy. News flash — We Don’t!

Wish-washy politically inspired stances like this cost American lives. It handicaps the ability of our military and intelligence agencies to protect us. The impact and cost to America could easily be measured in the thousands and thousands of deaths when another 911 hits. This is not a game of chess, plaid with pieces who fell no pain. When the game is over we do not pick up our pieces and go home.

For the record, the following 51 Senators voted for the handcuffing Inteligence Bill. If you see yours on there, I urge you to send them a reminder of the stakes in this game they are playing:

Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Dodd (D-CT)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Hagel (R-NE)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lugar (R-IN)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Tester (D-MT)
Webb (D-VA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)

Also Reporting:
Grid Skipper
American Pundit
Captain’s Quarters
Hot Air
Stop The ACLU
Michelle Malkin
Jammie Wearing Fool