I've heard of some critisim about the USA having a double standard when it comes to the prisoners being captured or turned over to the USA. How can it be that John Walker is sent to the mainland USA and be under normal Federal laws, but the rest captured cannot.
It's the law.
OK, this is mainly for Europeans who read this board. Most common day news isn't normally carried overseas....thats why its called common day news. For example most Americans don't know jack about the UK's trouble with the railroads and such. I know about it, but only because I get my news from the BBC website. I found it superior to CNN which also goes by the name "communist news network" (no offense to any real communists is intended).
Side note: What the hell is a "row" in England? Another word for "argument"? Also, what does MP mean in UK politics? Minister of Parliment? MP means military police in the USA.
Right after September 11 the US Congress rushed through a new set of anti-terrorism laws, most having a 5 year duration, after which they have to be renewed or dropped. They're alot more lenient on the government agencies about what they can do. Things that used to be illegal can now be done, such as phone tappings and such.
However, Congress did add in clauses that these cannot be used on normal American citizens. The idea being that the anti-terrorism laws couldn't be used for the wrong reasons. I can think of lots of uses (mafia, drug trafficers, illegal immigrants, ect). You've all heard stories about how the police KNOW who the bad guys are, but cannot do anything about them because of loopholes in the laws. They'ld get creative and use anti-terrorism laws on them, perhaps going too far. Thus, the rules only aply to foreigners.
Then came John Walker.
So, by our own clauses we cannot treat him the same. Most of us WANT to treat him like a terrorist, but we can't. Please don't think we like him.