[Ben Chad]

This is analagous to expelling a young middle school student for having a tweety bird chain attached to her purse, because a zero-tolerance rule bans chains in school. Our military recruits are subjected to much worse abuse in boot camp than this enemy combatant experienced in interrogation. To quote Cher: Have we lost our F'ing minds?

[SJSAMPLE]

No, it isn't:
1. This is not middle school.
2. A live, loaded weapon is not a key chain.

The rules of interrogation prevent the bringing of a weapon into the interrogation room or the use of a weapon as a means of interrogation. LTC West HIMSELF reported this violation to his commanding officer and his own lawyer admitted this on CNBC last week.

Too many people complain that "the prisoner wasn't harmed" and that "he didn't kill the guy". The fact is that LTC West may have violated DOD rules of interrogation and possibly the rules of land warfare that the US STRICTLY observes. The US military doesn't use weapons or intimated threats of death to extract information from prisoners. Don't think for a minute that LTC West was demonstrating the cyclic action of the M9 pistol so the prisoner could appreciate Beretta's fine workmanship. You can't wash it away that easily.

We have to think of the consequences that could result if we decide to abandon our principles of conduct. How will this make our forces any more approachable by possible informants? We absolutely depend on the Iraqis for intel, and turning them against us will cost us dearly.

If you think recruits are subjected to anything close to being threatened with a loaded weapon, you're grossly mistaken.