Fretting over America's image

A New York Times editorial proposes a terrorist bill of rights. Some of the well-qualified lawyer-bloggers have, in my opinion, long ago shown the legal arguments and 'facts' claimed by the NYT to be specious. Below, I excerpt the emotional arguments. The NYT seems to think what others think of us is very important, as if the world was one big high school:

[Habeas corpus] is essential to bringing integrity to the detention system and reviving the United States’ credibility. ....

[The Military Commissions Act that] Mr. Bush triumphantly announced ... was a defeat for America’s image around the world. ....

The United States should apologize.... [emphasis added]

As noted previously, French law provides for extensive rights to detain suspected terrorists. Will the NYT ever fret about France's need to restore its "image" or "credibility"?

More importantly, will the NYT ever call for bin Laden to "apologize"?

PREVIOUSLY on the subject of "image" over substance: "I don't fall down"