Senate approves tribunals

Washington Times:

The Senate gave its final approval yesterday for President Bush's proposal for interrogating and prosecuting the terror suspects held at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, sending the legislation to the White House for Mr. Bush's signature.
Immediately after that vote, the Senate agreed to vote today on the bill to construct 700 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border. After a week of stalling the bill, Democrats supported the procedural move.
The terrorist tribunal bill, a modified version of a proposal offered by Mr. Bush, passed on an 65-34 vote. Fifty-three Republicans and 12 Democrats voted for the bill. Thirty-two Democrats were joined by Sen. Lincoln Chafee, Rhode Island Republican, and Sen. James M. Jeffords, Vermont independent, in voting against the measure. One Republican -- Sen. Olympia J. Snowe of Maine -- did not vote.
"This legislation recognizes that we are a nation at war," said Majority Whip Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican. "We are not conducting a law-enforcement operation against a check-writing scam or trying to foil a bank heist. We are at war against extremists who want to kill our citizens, cripple our economy and discredit the principles we hold dear -- freedom and democracy."
Mr. Bush promised to sign the bill.
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Most Democrats voted for terrorist rights over a right to try the mass murders in a proceeding that did not provide an intelligence coup to the enemy. They are showing their colors and why they were so unsuccessful at prosecuting the war against al Qaeda in the 90's. The same insitincts that they had when they created the "Wall" which kept intelligence and law enforcement from sharing information is demonstrated by their unnatural desire to confer rights on unlawful combatants.