“Unlawful combatant” and its variants have been in use for more than 100 years, since the First Hague Conference in 1899. It’s a bit late in the game to start pretending that George Bush invented the concept.

Now, it’s not at all clear to me that the proper remedy to this is access to U.S. civilian courts as if these guys were common criminals. But they should have a chance to establish whether they are in fact properly classified as POWs, unlawful combatants, or whatever, and then be treated accordingly. Every person deserves their advocate. I have to say, though, that for someone like Khalid Shaikh Mohammed my mindset approaches “give him a fair trial and then hang him.”

I can barely ready SCOTUS news and decisions these days without wanting to cry and/or overthrow the government (well, moreso than my usual feelings). To see Scalia write that the decision ”will make the war harder on us. It will almost certainly cause more Americans to be killed” pisses me off to no end. This guy is one of a group of 9 people that are among the top 15-30 most powerful people in the US government right now (excluding the corporations that are actually running the government) and his responses, public comments, and written opinions which form the basis of the evolving government are nothing more than kindergarten babbling and whining. He’s an asshat that has risen to the highest position in our judiciary but speaks like a Foxnews commentator with no thought or pause for his incindiery and reactionary comments. What does that say about the political system and America’s democracy? Why do we put up with this nonsense?

Seriously, Robert. I’m right there with you.

—Myca

I wouldn’t put it past this administration. They’d call it “Freedom Depopulation” or something.