While I haven’t been the biggest cheerleader for President George W. Bush these past eight years, my feelings regarding Bush’s controversial military trial system at Guantanamo Bay are mixed. As of right now, there are two-hundred and seventy foreign terrorist suspects being held in a prison without bail for six years before trial and this had the ACLU fuming. When Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of September 11, faced a judge, insisting that he refuses representation and chooses to be a martyr and get sentenced to death, the ACLU tried to step in and offer him support. Refusing it, they still ranted and raved about how this form of detainment was unconstitutional.

Is it scary that our United States government conducts this type of underground jail in another country? Yes. However, did I feel passionately about backing the ACLU regarding the protection of terrorists? Hell no. Yet the Supreme Court did, ruling that Guantanamo detainees will have the right to be heard in civilian courts on the American mainland.

Although the 5-4 ruling did not order the military tribunal process to shut its doors, the U.S. Supreme Court has just begun a change-in-the-making. So, what now?

Both Democratic nominee, Barack Obama, and his Republican opponent, John McCain, said that they already plan to close down Guantanamo Bay. However, where, oh, where should we put our terrorists who killed thousands of Americans?

Although five alleged plotters of September 11 in total appeared in a Guantanamo courtroom last week with hopeful prosecutors pushing for a trial to begin on September 15, now it looks as if the first trial will not be focused on what the terrorists did to our country but what America and our President are doing to them. To them!

Now, there are always those circumstances where an individual could get captured and imprisoned under suspicion without proof, thus, turning out to be innocent. In fact, 775 prisoners were once held at Guantanamo Bay detention camp and 420 were eventually released without being charged. No, that isn’t good. However, terrorists who confess to the mass murder on September 11 like Mohammed make it real hard to feel OK with fighting for his rights.

The Supreme Court declared the Military Commissions Act of 2006, which is “To authorize trial by military commission for violations of the law of war, and for other purposes,” unconstitutional because it denies the right of habeas corpus, an ability to seek relief from a court for unlawful detention of themselves or another person.

“We’ll abide by the court’s decision but that doesn’t mean I have to agree with it,’” Bush said at a press conference with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. “It’s a deeply divided court, and I strongly agree with those who dissented.’

Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion, “The laws and Constitution are designed to survive, and remain in force in extraordinary times.”

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