SO IT WILL HAVE SOME EFFECT:

GOP Seeks Advantage In Ruling On Trials: National Security Is Likely Rallying Cry, Leaders Indicate (Michael Abramowitz and Jonathan Weisman, July 1, 2006, Washington Post)

Republicans yesterday looked to wrest a political victory from a legal defeat in the Supreme Court, serving notice to Democrats that they must back President Bush on how to try suspects at Guantanamo Bay or risk being branded as weak on terrorism.

In striking down the military commissions Bush sought for trials of suspected members of al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups, the high court Thursday invited Congress to establish new rules and put the issue prominently before the public four months before the midterm elections. As the White House and lawmakers weighed next steps, House GOP leaders signaled they are ready to use this week's turn of events as a political weapon.

Congress Tackles the Guantanamo Challenge: Lawmakers could OK Bush's setup or create a whole new system for handling detainees. (Maura Reynolds, July 1, 2006, LA Times)

Key lawmakers moved Friday to begin creating a military justice process to determine the fate of Guantanamo detainees, a day after the Supreme Court wiped out the special tribunals established by the Bush administration.

Under the justices' ruling, Congress — which has largely stayed on the sidelines in shaping the war on terrorism — must take the lead role in implementing the most important legal decision affecting terrorism suspects since Sept. 11.

"I think we are under duty to move very, very promptly, because these people have been detained a long time," said Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.). "The court has told us what to do."

Posted by Orrin Judd at July 1, 2006 8:06 AM