I guess that one branch of the government that was set up to provide "checks and balances" is doing their job. A federal judge ruled that the GITMO detainees have been denied their basic rights by the military while being held in custody. Imagine that. An actual Judge, with actual "Judge creds" telling Abu Gonzales "bzzzzt...yer wrong". I'm sure that the wingnuts will now kick-start the manufactured outrage machines: Crashcart, load the "Activist Liberal Judge Script" immediately, and commence blast-faxing every SCLM news organization in North America.

The fact is, no one wants to see actual Al-Qaeda members be given much of a break...not even a weepy, soft-hearted liberal like me. Confinement to a Supermax after a trial might be good for them, until their teeth fall out and the world has moved on to a place where they and their message is as irrelevant as Preznit Lies4Profits "Honorable Discharge".

There is apparently evidence that some of the detainees in GITMO were "given up" by Afghan "snitches" to settle family or blood debts, that others were just caught up in the sweeps following the end of the war. Afghan soldiers who were not Al-Qaeda, but were rather just soldiers should be treated as POW's, if there is evidence that their allegiance was to their government (as bizarre as it was) and not to Osama bin Laden...soldiers serving in a standing army are expected to fight for their country, when attacked, or have I missed the definition of defending your country?

If the departments/people in charge, DOD and DOJ and especially the 1600 Crew follow the ruling without whining and appealing (and that's a big if), it might begin to improve our standing as a country that does what it says and not just mouths meaningless platitudes while ignoring our own courts and laws.

One can only hope. Given the track record of the idiots in charge, that's quite a stretch...