If I were bush, when this crap blew up I would have read aloud from the section of the Geneva convention regarding the treatment of unauthorized combatants, particularly those who commit war crimes, and then announce that they were all shot that morning.

Then I would have the DOJ start filing treason charges against agitators in the press and elsewhere who are providing moral support to the enemy.

But I guess that means I could never get the office, not slimey enough.

Still solely an executive branch decision with no review.

Kind of like pardons and commutations which are also Executive Branch functions. Nevertheless, the decisions about detainees are based on more than whimsy and the judgment of a single individual. These guys were not just randomly plucked from open fields while tending wildflowers, so keeping them at Guantanamo is based more than on bureaucratic sayso.

Still solely an executive branch decision with no review. As you can see, I don’t agree with the process and think it fundamentally unjust.

Since after years we are still holding these people based only on some government bureaucrat’s sayso

It’s based on a bit more than some bureaucrat’s sayso. A lot more actually.

Seriously, aren’t the phone calls of inmates (unless with an attorney) in prison within the United States monitored? I’m sure these would be as well, so any “misrepresentation” in the call would be easily disproved. If the military has waited this long before agreeing to this, they’ve certainly considered the potential hazards.

It’s also one more privilege that could be removed for any misbehavior… and by misbehavior I mean throwing feces, urine, or other things; trying to strike guards or staff; hunger-strikes, etc… Some are saying that we already have too many carrots and not enough sticks. For the type of intelligence we’re trying to get from these guys (methods, contacts, etc… i.e. non-immediate threats) carrots are what work. The stick is for things we have to know right now.