Secretary Rice continues to astound, and take unprecedented actions, such as use the considerable bully pulpit of the State Department to actually support American goals and objectives. The consternation at Foggy Bottom must be enough to, say, blow some of the fog out of there.

Dr. Rice leaves for Europe, where the EUnuchs have organized a reception that includes demands for disclosure of the CIA overseas detention facilities where terrorists are held. UK foreign minister Jack Straw sent her a letter last week demanding details. Rice, as has CIA Director Goss and Defense Secretary Rumsfeld — and the president — said we do not torture detainees. Here, again, the damage already being done by the McCain amendment. Torture is already illegal, and will continue to be regardless of the fate of McCain’s misbegotten and thoroughly misunderstood amendment.

Rice said “information gathered by U.S. intelligence agencies from a ‘very small number of extremely dangerous detainees,’ … has helped prevent terrorist attacks and saved lives ‘in Europe as well as in the United States and other countries.'” She refused to say anything further, and will take a tough line with Angela Merkel in Germany and with the other Euros who are too delicate to fight the war. If that further delays reconciliation in transatlantic relations — the great penalty we shall pay for doing what we do — so be it. Actually, so much the better. From friends such as the EUnuchs, we get harsh criticism rather than help. And, still, they expect us to defend them. Why bother?