Legal Commentary

Bush to Consider Closing Guantanamo

By Jeralyn

ABC News reports that President Bush is holding talks about the future of Guantanamo and may decide to close it.

High-level discussions among top advisers have escalated in the past week, with the most senior administration officials in continuous talks about the future of the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay--and how it will be dramatically changed and/or closed in the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling that gave detainees there access to federal courts.

He may decide by Saturday when he leaves for the G8 summit. But it's unlikely he will issue an announcement that soon. As to the reason: the recent Supreme Court decision and those that preceded it.

High-level administration officials say the Court's decision dramatically changes the legal landscape--and raises questions about whether the government has solid evidence to present to federal judges to justify ongoing detentions.

Meaning, of course, evidence that would be admissible in a criminal proceeding as opposed to a military tribunal.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on July 02, 2008 (boomark / email).