Waubonsee Community College

The challenge, Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, and the fight over presidential power, Jonathan Mahler

eng

Includes bibliographical references (p. [311]-314) and index

contains biographical information

index present

non fiction

The challenge

bibliography

191258624

Jonathan Mahler

Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, and the fight over presidential power

In November 2001, Salim Ahmed Hamdan, a 31-year-old Yemeni, was captured and turned over to U.S. forces in Afghanistan. After confessing to being Osama bin Laden's driver, Hamdan was transferred to Guantánamo Bay, and was soon designated by President Bush for trial before a special military tribunal. The Pentagon assigned a military defense lawyer to represent him, a 35-year-old graduate of the Naval Academy, Lieutenant Commander Charles Swift. No one expected Swift to mount much of a defense. The rules of the tribunals, America's first in over fifty years, were stacked against him--assuming he wasn't expected to throw the game altogether. Instead, with the help of a young constitutional law professor at Georgetown, Neal Katyal, Swift sued the Bush Administration over the legality of the tribunals. In 2006, Katyal argued the case before the Supreme Court and won. This is the inside story of what may be the most important decision on presidential power and the rule of law in the history of the Supreme Court.--From publisher description

The JAG -- The trials -- VUCA -- The professor -- The civil power -- A drowning man -- The lawsuit -- Tugging the lion's tail -- "Oh, I doubt that seriously, sir" -- "Judge assigned-we won the lottery" -- An indefinite recess -- "We're going to crush you" -- Who we are -- The Supreme Court responds -- Getting to five -- Where's the food? -- The countdown -- The argument -- The heroes of Guantanamo?