A footnote to Andy and Rich’s points: This is why it makes no sense whatsoever when Sen. Joe Biden as well as so many folks in the MSM repeat that the reason we should treat terrorists as POWs because in that way we ensure that our troops, if captured, will be treated according to these standards. No, emphatically not.

First, our troops and even our civilians are not being accorded Geneva protections or even a minimum of civilized treatment by the terrorists (think Nick Berg, Margaret Hussein, Daniel Pearl). Second, if you say to the terrorists, “Don’t worry, no matter what you do, no matter how barbaric, it doesn’t matter – you’ll always get kid gloves-Geneva treatment from our side,” you eliminate any leverage you might otherwise have had.

I don’t expect Human Rights Watch to understand or care. I do think Sen. Biden ought to.