Having spent the morning looking at legal analysis of the implications of the Hamdan v. Rumsfeld decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, I thought I’d offer some political analysis – particularly from the perspective of how this will affect the November 2006 elections in the
The fate of the GITMO prisoners does not impact the elections, but Senators Frist and Graham have already said they would work with the White House to introduce legislation to allow military tribunals to be used (the door left open by the Supreme Court). This legislation is certain to include spurious language about acting to protect American citizens in the fight against terrorists and Al-Qaeda etc., thereby making it difficult for Representatives or Senators to vote against the bill in an election year; the attack ads would be too easy: ‘Senator X voted to protect terrorists rights and risked the lives of American citizens.’ I hope it doesn’t come to that, but at the moment it looks like that is exactly what will happen.
Charly, I think more or less along the same lines as you do. This administration has shown not only disregarding the rule of law but also actively breaking it when it suits it's purposes. If they get away with a new set of schemes, as they usually do, it's going to be the same old merrygo-round. One shouldn't forget that, in the Bush's White House, The Supreme Court is not the final authority and there is a "higher court" still and W. has direct connection there.
ReplyDeleteIf one wants to slap the jihadis detained at Gitmo with the status of POW, it wouldn't shorten their stay at the island paradise one day.
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