Durbin Should be the Democratic Leader

From the Chi Trib

President Bush should pardon six Army reservists from Ohio who were court-martialed for taking equipment to carry out their mission in Iraq, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said Tuesday.

In a letter to the president, Durbin said the members of the 656th Transportation Company may have committed a technical violation and an error in judgment but the military should not have treated this mistake as a felony.

"The punishment is completely out of step with the violation," Durbin said. "Soldiers have been scavenging for equipment on battlefields from the time of the Romans to the present day. ... Yes, they made a mistake, but it was not so someone could get rich; these soldiers were trying to protect their unit and accomplish their mission."

Of course, Durbin is exactly right and this is just the kind of issue we should take up as a party. These soldiers were doing their duty,

Six reservists, including two veteran officers who had received Bronze Stars, were court-martialed for commandeering two tractors and two trailers left in Kuwait by other U.S. units that had already moved into Iraq and for stripping a third vehicle for parts they needed to repair their trucks.

There is no way Bush is going to want to pardon these soldiers because he would view such a pardon as an admission that they were sent into a combat zone without the equipment they need.

The WH press corps needs to ask some questions about this. We need to let the WH know how we feel.

(via Archpundit)