Bush's military tribunal's not incredibly popular

It was more news fit for a Friday. Yesterday, the five judge advocates general of the military branches told members of Congress that President Bush's plan for military tribunals for accused terrorists has some issues.

The staff judge advocate of the Marine Corps, Brig. Gen. James C. Walker, had some particularly pointed comments:

"I'm not aware of any situation in the world where there is a system of jurisprudence that is recognized by civilized people, where an individual can be tried and convicted without seeing the evidence against him. And I don't think that the United States needs to become the first in that scenario."

The top lawyers from all branches presented similar opinions. Who else opposes the administration's proposed detainee policy?

Eh, just the typical left-wing crowd: Republican Sen. John McCain (Vietnam vet and five-year POW); Armed Services Committee Chairman John W. Warner (also a Republican, and a former secretary of the Navy) and Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (former Air Force lawyer and current reservist judge).

In an era where fewer than 1/3 of the members of Congress are military veterans, perhaps it is time to listen to those with the relevant life experience. We'll see.