However, I can't support hypocrites who shirk their duty, only to give the perception that they casual about others giving their blood when proclaiming "bring em on" with regards to insurgent strikes in Iraq.

Nor can I support someone who was by all accounts a party animal in his day only to waste $150MM on "abstinence only education" during a time of exploding deficits. During capitivity, McCain had plenty of time to think about what was really important in life. Meanwhile Bush was doing whatever he was doing before he found Jesus.

Right now the right wing of the party is feeling pretty good, but remember, you only recieved 51% against a self absorbed Northeastern Liberal from Massachusetts. George McGovern would have beena better candidate. I am not impressed.

McCain has made sacrifices in his life. Due to the reckless fiscal and foreign policy adventure embarked upon by this admin, there will come a time in the not to distant future when the nation will need someone who has the moral authority to ask us all to make sacrifices for one another. McCain is capable of this. That is why you should take him seriously.
JB

The legal basis would be the Geneva Convention and the 1996 law enacted by congress to enforce, domestically, the UN Convention Against Torture. I think that Gonzalez's memo from 2003 is pretty clear that the administration understands that POWs must be treated according to international standards and that the need to proclaim "enemy combaitants" was a deliberate way to evade the law.

In fact, some are pursuing legal routes right now:

Rumsfeld should have his day in a court of law.

And the legal basis for this would be...?

For those people who aren't guided by morals, Rumsfeld has been a tragic failure from the standpoint of military execution. There was no pre-war planning on how governance should take place in the absense of Saadam. Paul Bremer--who was the choice of Rummy--proved to be horribly incompetent whose arrogant policies pushed Iraqi sentiments against the occupation.

Rummy and his deputy Wolfowitz failed ON THEIR OWN TERMS as well, making one wonder why Bush is keeping them on.

Wolfowitz: "I do think in a way that's our principle target, is the psychological one, to convince the Iraqi people that they no longer have to be afraid of Saddam. And once that happens I think what you're going to find, and this is very important, you're going to find Iraqis out cheering American troops." (Feb. 23, 2003)

"It's interesting that even al Qaeda has kind of come out in defense of Saddam Hussein. They've declared that Saddam Hussein [is bad]. There's also no question that the defeat of this terrorist regime that terrorizes its own people, that has weapons of mass terror and that has ties to terrorism will be seen throughout the terrorist world as a defeat for their side. No question about it. I mean one of our first priorities going into Baghdad will be to look for these people that are hiding there"