Oops, sorry about that.
In a Department of Defense press release issued this morning, Paul Wolfowitz announced that the “enemy combatant” status of all 594 detainees at Guantanamo Bay would be reviewed before a military tribunal, and if any of them were found to be incorrectly classified as such, they would be swiftly repatriated.
I bet that will go over well. “Oops, I guess we were mistaken. Sorry about stealing two years of your life and keeping you in uncomfortable captivity halfway around the world from your home for no reason. You can go now.”
Why on earth wasn’t this done immediately after their imprisonment? That sort of mistake is what drives a person, and often his or her family and friends, towards lifelong hatred of America. I just hope it wasn’t made.
July 9th, 2004 at 1:34 pm
Because the Supreme Court hadn’t ruled that they have to, of course.
July 14th, 2004 at 9:59 am
Judicial review. What a concept! I heard that’s what happens when there’s this rule of law thingie.