Gosh, this thread is very amusing! I am very much looking forward to meeting you in person sometime, Mr. Stirling. Please remember, however, that I am just as forthright and hostile in person as I am on the net.

Anyhoo, I'm very surprised that only Andrew (I think it was Andrew) has disputed Steverino's premise, which is that we are at war. Of course, you'd first have to define "war," and then if you do decide that you're at war, you'd have to decide what parts of the legal system you're willing to throw out. Me, not so much, but then again, I'm planning on going to Afghanistan in September, so my tolerance for risk might be higher than most.

Someone might also want to dispute Steve's premise that the poll data in the Muslim world translates into millions of people willing to engage in organized violence on American soil. Just sayin'.

You also might profitably question his premise that American actions do not affect the number or propensity of Muslims willing to do harm to the United States. There is quite a bit of counter-evidence there, for someone who really wants to engage him. Me, I like to believe that a person actually reasons logically from consistent premises that are congruent with both empirical reality and my own moral beliefs before debating them. YMMV.

Steve's also a bit confused on the legality of Camp X-Ray, but that's merely a factual issue. FWIW, Phil Carter's blog has a lot of solid and informative debate about the issue. Personally, I'd prefer to check up on these things the old-fashioned way, by asking the lawyers who work across the river.

There is an interesting article in the WSJ about CPT Carter's attempts to get the Iraqis to build a legal system in which institutions like Camp X-Ray would be impossible, despite the fact that Iraq is indeed fairly indisputably engaged in a civil war.

I hope that everyone will stop with the stupid WW2 analogies: too many of the basic premises just don't hold.

Oh, while I'm here: Steve, who did you kill, and where? Why? Or am I misreading the following: "When I speak of violent death, I'm speaking of something I've seen first-hand, done, smelled, and cleaned up after"?