Bush's Powers Again Under Review by Court

[cal04]

His wartime powers undercut once before by the Supreme Court, President Bush could take a second hit in a case in which Osama bin Laden's former driver is seeking to head off a trial before military officers. At stake is more than whether Salim Ahmed Hamdan, after nearly four years at the Navy prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, goes on trial for war crimes before a special military commission.

Analysts say if the high court rejects Bush's plan to hold such trials for the first time since the aftermath of World War II, it could rein in the president's expanded powers in pursuing and punishing suspected terrorists. In addition to special military trials for Hamdan and others, the Bush administration since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, has claimed it has the authority to eavesdrop on telephone conversations without court oversight, aggressively interrogate foreigners and imprison people without giving them traditional legal rights.

Hamdan was one of hundreds of people captured during the 2001 U.S.-led war that drove the ruling Taliban from power in Afghanistan. The native of Yemen denies that he is a terrorist and claims he took the driving job to provide for his young family. Hamdan's appeal, set for arguments Tuesday, is one of the biggest cases of the court's current term, the first for Chief Justice John Roberts. He, however, will not participate in the Hamdan case. Last year, Roberts was on a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that ruled unanimously against Hamdan.

It is that ruling that the Supreme Court now is reviewing.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060325/ap_on_go_su_co/scotus_guantanamo_trials

[kenny blankenship]

1. Silly Court!

Don't they know that Bush can just put out an official document-- I'm not sure what they're called, Royal Edicts perhaps-- that modifies whatever they say or otherwise makes it plain that he just doesn't have to listen to them?
They're OFFICIAL documents, pieces of paper, just like court decisions and the Constitution. He's been doing this like, since forever. Anyway there's only ONE President, so who do they think they are?

[rodeodance]

2. Gonzalas and Yoo have probably worked them up already.