We're Still Giving Al Qaida Gifts

Learning of our scheme to pay for good news stories in Iraqi newspapers makes it seem ever more evident American values end at the waters edge. I know this used to be said of partisan politics, but that is clearly no longer the case.

According the some at the Pentagon and folks like Pat Buchanan, it's okay to lie and cheat if your enemy is doing it too. Or, as Pat said on Hardball, "We're at war, war!" This is yet another reversion of war supporters on the right to schoolyard ethics. Whatever we do is okay 'cause "they started it". Also, I'm a little murky on just what war we've declared against whomdo . What, if any, values we hold as inviolate? Maybe those are separate discussions.

What comes through to me is these people think it's okay to do whatever we want due to the fear and anger lingering from 9/11. We continue to pay tribute directly from the treasury of our collective soul to Bin Laden and his ilk when we compromise our values and lash out in our insecurity. We are still giving the terrorists exactly what I imagine they wanted when they first plotted to strike us.

We tilt forward in our war against a violent tactic afraid to get on with our lives while seeking justice from the individuals that harmed us.

Fools, fools, we are led by cowards and fools.