William Safire has a column which, even by the relaxed standard of his work in the last 12 months or so, is filled with Cheney-style delusion. Jack Balkan nails most of the big points, so I'll just add the one Jack missed.
It is beyond weird to suggest that Sec. Rumsfeld has at any relevant times been solicitous of the rights of detainees. The military tribunals he proposed were justly attacked by all and sundry as lacking almost all the elements of fairness and due process.
The extent to which these rules were deficient is highlighted by the recent announcement that the separate annual 'reviews' planned by Rumsfeld & Co. are now known to be seriously deficient.
Why Safire feels a need to repeatedly kow-tow to Rumsfled is mysterious. If it's for past favors they must be well past, since I can't think of a really good leak Safire's gotten recently. If it's a down payment for future favors, it better be a big one.
The more you read Safire lately, the more you feel that he’s busy clicking his heels three times and repeating “There’s no place like home.”
Safire is getting old. It shows.