A debate over rape in the armed forces is raging in the Senate, pitting one senator against another, and no, it’s not a man-versus-woman thing. Rather, it's two female senators.

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) wants commanders to be able to sign off on any rape charges brought by the soldiers they lead. She says it will send a message to subordinates that the commanders are in control. But Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) favors an independent track that would leave the commanders out of the equation, fearing that they might either brush aside the charges or contribute to an established atmosphere of intimidation that would allow accusations of inappropriate sexual conduct to wither and die.