No, McGrath, I don't think politics has anything to do with it.

I believe what the U. S. administration is saying is, the prisoners will not be governed by international law as you sugget in your next to the last paragraph. Our allies can object, if they so choose, but to date all that I have seen is reports of pundits in newspapers and on television, who have no better idea how the prisoners are being treated than you or I. I don't believe the government of GB has registered a formal protest has it? Has your PM publically disagreed with Bush and Rumsfield?

As to Terry Waite, he suffered much as a prisoner. His word regarding the treatment of these prisoners, however, is no better than anyone else unless he has witnessed first-hand the treatment they are receiving. That's my opinion anyway. I suppose it is just one of those subjects where we should (as we have done before) agree to disagree.

DougR