More surrender from the Democrats

Here's CNN reporting on a Time story about Guantanamo Bay. I'm sure the Time story is full of exciting glossy photos, interactive and informative charts, hard-hitting questions, and relevant sidebars.

I don't know what to think. On the one hand, we can't have hijackers flying planes into our buildings; on the other, we can't have everyone in this country completely misunderstanding such attacks and doing nothing to help oppressed Muslims around the world. The problem is not people who hate freedom; I've never met anyone like that who wasn't insane. The problem is a region of countries controlled by clerics and autocrats and indirectly funded by US corporations--and me. We shouldn't have prison camps in other countries; we'd never let Cuba have one in ours. But you can't just let people who shoot at you in Afghanistan go when you capture them...

So, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (weasel, CA) and Vice President Darth Cheney decided to have an idiocy contest. First, the Sith Lord speaks:

"The important thing here to understand is that the people that are at Guantanamo are bad people."

Oh! The problems I outlined above are solved. Corporate hegemony, war, terrorism, Islamic fundamentalism, oil, our complicated relationship with Cuba--not relevant, because Guantanamo is full of bad people, people fundamentally different from good white Americans. Second, Ms. Feinstein:

"I don't know what tree we're barking up," Feinstein said. "It is a terrible mistake."

You don't know what tree we're barking up? Probably an oak. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes's relationship is a terrible mistake. The invasion of Iraq and our military base/detention camp complex--a little worse than a mistake--a catastrophically misplaced response to a real problem (militant Islamic fundamentalism.) But Ms. Weaselstein has to keep the dollars flowing even as she appeals to her more progressive constituents.

Cheney: The people are Guantanamo are bad people.

Feinstein: I just don't know--something's not right--

Cheney: Those Guantanamo inmates? Bad, bad people.

Feinstein: I just wonder at, you know, our treament of them. Sometimes I think it's, well, ungood.

Cheney: Have I told you how bad they are? If they could, they'd hurt you bad. Real bad.

Feinstein: I just saw this great story in Time, though. The photos were so glossy, the sidebars so relevant...