Bush & Co Stall For Time and Scramble For A New Plan

Lawyers representing nine Guantanamo Bay prisoners have filed lawsuits in a United States court arguing their detention is unlawful and unconstitutional. Among those represented is Canadian citizen Omar Khadr, who was 15 at the time he was seized in Afghanistan and is now 17. The cases contend their confinement lacks any legal basis.

Major Michael Shavers, a Pentagon spokesman, declined comment on the content of the lawsuits "because it's pending litigation."

Maj Shavers also said the Bush administration had not decided what actions it would take in response to the Supreme Court ruling.

"Obviously, we're going to comply with the court ruling, but there's been no decision made yet as to how we're going to do that," Maj Shavers said.

At the same time, the US Justice Department is pressing the CIA to publicly reveal the specific interrogation methods authorised by the Bush administration for some senior Al Qaeda captives.

Can you imagine the scenes in the Oval Office these days? A bunch of lawyers frantically trying to come up with some new scheme to derail any political accountability, Bush marching up and down swearing at them for having told him it would all be OK, and Karl Rove with his head in his hands saying "Just be quiet and let me think, for God's sake!"

The fact that Mr Shavers used the term "pending liability" indicates that the White House is planning an appeal against the Supreme Court decision. Obviously, this will take months, at least until after November (of course!), during which time the detainees will - what? Be released? Not likely! Seems they will be moved to a US prison in a co-operative state like Texas.