Another aspect of this whole thing - "One of Britain's most senior judges condemned the American courts last night for a 'monstrous failure of justice' by refusing to rule on the claims of Taliban suspects held without trial at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba...."

"...By denying the prisoners the right to raise challenges in a court about their alleged status and treatment, the United States government is in breach of the minimum standards of customary international law."

That's the third most senior judge in the UK, Lord Steyn, in a formal legal lecture. And that comes from a report in the right-wing London newspaper, the Daily Telegrapj - 'Monstrous US justice' attacked by law lord

And a historical connection has just come up that might make a few people think. Back in 1944 there was a Supreme Court decision in the case of "Korematsu vs. United States" - a young Japanese American trying to fight the internment camps set up in the US for other Japanese Americans. And in what has been described as "one of the most infamous decisions ever rendered by the US Supreme Court", the court upheld the legality of the camps.

Fred Korematsu was given the Medal of Freedom in 1998 for his fight against internment. And Bush's father apologized to Japanese Americans on behalf of the United States.

Well, now Fred Korematsu, aged 82, has come to Washington once more -this time to file a brief on behalf of hundreds of detainees, asking for their detention without trial or charge to be ruled illegal. Another chance for the Supreme Court to distinguish itself in the same way it did regard to the Japanese Americans.

(More on these matters here, in the Christian Scvience Monitor)