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In a major setback for the legal and moral standing of the USA, President Obama has lifted the suspension of Bush-era military trials for prisoners held at Guantánamo Bay.
Breaking his promise to curb the damaging lawlessness of US counter-terrorism policy, President Obama has now ensured that the US justice system will once more be beamed around the world in the form of 'kangaroo courts' conducted by military officers with a military officer presiding.
In a yet sadder climbdown, President Obama has signed an executive order proposing to legalise Guantánamo's widely-decried practice of indefinite detention without charge. The policy realigns the US with rights-abusing countries and sets it once more at odds with the values of its European allies.
The Obama Administration's military review system allows cases to be reconsidered after the first year and then every three years thereafter. The system mimics the Combatant Status Review Tribunals set up by the Bush administration in 2004, which were struck down by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional in 2008. Yet at least under the old version the inadequate review of the prisoner’s status was annual."
Amnesty International responds
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x589256Human Rights Watch responds
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x585766Bluebear: The ACLU responds
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x583859
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