The debate among us babykillers about which man is the right choice come November is one which I'm holding with myself too. Being a loyal Briton I can't vote, but I can have an opinion, which is: resolutely undecided. Roger Simon's point is the one which weighs most heavily with me in favour of Bush: but on the other hand, Michael Totten's point can't be ignored. (And see also his open letter to Andrew Sullivan of the 17th.)
The bottom line: there really has to be accountability for Abu Ghraib. I'm not sure that it even matters much how much A knew or B authorised. Somebody has got to be the scapegoat (in the original sense of the word: the one who takes upon himself the sins of others), and I'm looking at you, Rumsfeld. I fear Michael's right: if Rumsfeld doesn't go now (or soon) the voters will conclude that the Administration does not recognise the need for accountability when it's in front of your nose. And they will send the appropriate message in November.
But since the US electorate is so unenthusiastic about the candidates on offer, I have another modest proposal. Without meaning any disrespect to the Founding Fathers of the Great Republic, without for a moment wishing to suggest that the American Revolution was unjustified by the circumstances of the time, the American Congress and people could say: 1776 has served its purpose. Let us rejoin the United Kingdom.
That way, Americans would get a head of state they can respect (H.M.) and a head of government they actually like (T.B.). And taken in conjunction with my earlier proposal, it would do wonders to eliminate transatlantic tensions. Who could possibly object?