First, we have a number of weak, whiny Senators running around trying to extend Geneva Conventions protections (and more) to the terrorist savages captured on the battlefield who have no interest in following those same Conventions and violate them on a regular basis when dealing with Coalition or civilian prisoners themselves.

Led by Senator John McCain (followed by the obligatory: himself a POW in the Vietnam War), Senator Lindsey Graham (a former military judge who should know better), and Senator John Warner of Virginia (who knows what his deal is?), there is a movement in the Senate to make sure the terrorist “detainees” are treated nicely, much better then our military men and women would be treated were they to be captured by the enemy.

All of this vacillating about “torture” is driving me crazy. Forget for a moment that I would be all for torturing these detainees (you know bamboo under their nails, water-boarding, electric shock, etc); I understand that America is above all of that and we have to project a certain image of fairness and restraint. However the things the President wants to be able to do to prisoners to coerce them to provide information about upcoming plots: temperature variations (continually hot or cold rooms), prolonged standing, loud music, sleep deprivation, and stomach slapping do not sound like to torture to me and I think you can certainly throw water-boarding in there as well. Certainly not torture when compared with beheadings. The idea is to get information from these would-be American killers and save American lives – have our Senators lost their minds? Have the American people who are against this lost their minds?

And while I can’t speak to Senator Warner’s motivation in all of this, it is apparent that once again Mr. Graham has taken another opportunity to grandstand to get some face time and Mr. McCain is suffering from the effects of his long stay at the Hanoi Hilton. I mean Senator McCain no disrespect, in fact he has always had my respect despite his sometimes loony positions and his innate ability to embarrass his own party, but does anyone else see the slightest hint of a flashback to his Vietnam POW days as being the motivation for him in this matter? I am certain that he never wants anyone to experience what he did while held in captivity, but a little perspective is in order here.

To have McCain go around telling people that by us following President Bush’s desires in this matter we will incite the enemy to behave badly and that they will fail to follow the Geneva Conventions is simply ludicrous. First of all the Conventions are unclear as to the definitions of torture, second - they only apply to those nations who are signatories of the treaty, and third - the enemy has never before nor do they ever plan to follow those conventions. Any man on the street can tell you that – get a clue Senators. I believe beheadings and dragging burning corpses around in the streets pretty much eliminates the possibility of them following the Conventions Senator McCain.

The proverbial “Arab street” must be doubled over with laughter these days listening to this baloney. It’s outrageous to think that we would keep our intelligence people from getting the information we need to save Americans that we would not electronically eavesdrop on phone calls into the United States from suspected terrorists, that we would not track financial transactions of suspected terrorists, and that we would not profile in our airports and train or bus stations. Enough is enough of this politically correct nonsense. We cannot be this stupid – can we?

Then we have the Supreme Court dictating to the President, whose power as Commander-in-Chief and his responsibility to defend the country are clearly enumerated in the U.S. Constitution, as to how he can handle the trials of “enemy combatants”. This after Congress specifically excluded such cases from being heard by the Court in previous legislation, legislation that clearly falls under their enumerated powers in the Constitution as well. This judicial overreach and how the Executive and the Legislative branches are both in a tizzy about it would be amusing if it wasn’t so sad.

In 1831 when the Supreme Court decided the Cherokee Nation v. Georgia in opposition to the position of President Andrew Jackson, based on his differing opinion as to whether the Court even had jurisdiction in the matter, President Jackson said, and I paraphrase: “he (the Chief Justice) has made his decision, now let us see him enforce it.” He then ignored the order.

Now that is not the way I would like the current President or any President to act very often, since this is not a monarchy, however I would like to see President Bush take a similar position in this matter. The Court has imposed itself into an area that is not it’s to decide - and they have been doing so consistently for 40 years. It is time that a stand is taken. It is not within the Court’s enumerated powers to make law nor to set foreign policy. Where the Constitution is silent on an issue the Court must refer the issue back to either the Executive or the Legislative branch depending on their respective enumerated responsibilities to clear the matter up through legislation or executive order. The Constitution is clearly silent on the treatment of “enemy combatants” but clearly enumerates the power of the Commander-in-Chief and the defense of the nation to the President. Yet the Court continues to assume powers that are not enumerated to them and everyone just accepts their decisions as the final word on every issue. To do so demonstrates a lack of a clear understanding of the U.S. Constitution (not surprising since our schools don’t teach it).

What has happened to my country? This is now the country where we are so afraid to offend someone’s sensibilities that we would rather allow terrorists to kill a large number of us rather than be considered insensitive. We have reporters who admit if they were watching terrorists setting a trap for American soldiers that they would not warn our troops in advance saying it is their job to report the news not be a part of it. Why do so many Americans hate their own country and take for granted everything they have? Why do so many Americans think it is a bad thing to root for your country to win and for your fellow countrymen to live?

The final questions are: how long will we sit idly by, screwing around with stuff like this, wringing our hands and wanting the world to love us as the Islamofacists plot our death and destruction while we act like perfect gentlemen? When will we finally come to the conclusion that we are in a fight for our very lives and that of all free people on this Earth before one of our major cities are wiped out by a nuclear blast?

I am afraid to say I think we will be sitting around still debating whether we are really at war and whether we should even use the full power of our military for a long, long  time.  I also feel that by the time we come to the conclusion that we are in a war and that we were wrong about how to deal with Islamic terror it may be too late. Our leaders on both sides of the aisle no longer have the guts to stand up and fight for the United States of America and what she stands for. I beleive that “We the People” are now just the sheeple like they were in New Orleans - standing around waiting for the government to save their bacon. We the People are so far removed from war that we can’t even gin up the courage to state in a definitive and united fashion that we are at war anymore. We are still arguing that, always looking back and not looking forward. How sad.

There are only two possible outcomes in war: either you win – or you lose. I am no longer sure which side of this war our country will end up on. It's not a good thing when only one side is fighting 100% while the other is not even really in the game. I hate when our media or our leaders use the word “frightened”. It is so womanly to me and I like American men to act like men. However I will say that while I am not frightened about all of this I am indeed worried. It is time for men to be men and for us to fight for what we stand for and not be afraid to do so. The alternative is to die without a whimper or in this case with lots of whimpering. Let’s not do that – it’s embarrassing.

It’s like I tell my kids when they moan and groan about my edicts: “I waited a long time to be in charge and by God; I’m going to be in charge!” Well I want our leaders to say that "the United States has worked long and hard to be the most powerful nation on Earth and by God, we’re going to be the most powerful nation on Earth – and we're gonna kick your butt". What’s the point of being so powerful if you’re not going to use it to protect yourself?