White House reverses Geneva Conventions stance
{{date|July 11, 2006}}

After the [[w:United States Supreme Court|Supreme Court]] ruling from June 29, 2006, the [[w:White House|White House]] has announced that from now on all U.S. detainees are entitled to the protection Article 3 of the [[w:Geneva Conventions|Geneva Conventions]], including the detainees at the U.S. naval base at [[w:Guantanamo Bay|Guantanamo Bay]]. The Supreme Court ruled that the system of [[w:military tribunal|military tribunals]] set up by the U.S. at Guantanamo was illegal. The announcement came just hours before Congress debates how to change the military tribunals to comply with the court ruling.

After [[w:September 11, 2001|September 11, 2001]] the [[w:George W. Bush|Bush]] administration argued that those captured by the U.S. in the global 'war on terror' are "illegal enemy combatants" rather than prisoners of war.

United States [[w:attorney general|attorney general]] [[w:Alberto Gonzalez|Alberto Gonzalez]] argued in 2002 that fighting the war on terror requires new techniques and that the Geneva Conventions are "obsolete".

White House press secretary [[w:Tony Snow|Tony Snow]] denied that the announcement constitutes a major shift in policy. 
"It is not really a reversal of policy. Humane treatment has always been the standard," he said.

== See also ==
* {{wikinews|title=U.S. military tribunals in Guantanamo Bay lack Congressional authorization, violate U.S. law and Geneva Conventions|date=June 29, 2006}}

== Sources ==
* {{source|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2265447,00.html
|title=White House announces Geneva Conventions U-turn
|author=Sam Knight
|pub=Times|date=July 11, 2006}}
* {{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5169600.stm
|title=US detainees to get Geneva rights
|author=|pub=BBC News|date=July 11, 2006}}
* {{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/29_06_06_supremecourt.pdf
|title=HAMDAN v. RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, ET AL. 
|author=US Supreme Court|pub=BBC News|date=June 29, 2006}}

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[[Category:Crime and law]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:US Supreme Court]]
After the Supreme Court ruling from June 29, 2006, the White House has announced that from now on all U.S. detainees are entitled to the protection Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions, including the detainees at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay. The Supreme Court ruled that the system of military tribunals set up by the U.S. at Guantanamo was illegal. The announcement came just hours before Congress debates how to change the military tribunals to comply with the court ruling.

After September 11, 2001 the Bush administration argued that those captured by the U.S. in the global 'war on terror' are "illegal enemy combatants" rather than prisoners of war.

United States attorney general Alberto Gonzalez argued in 2002 that fighting the war on terror requires new techniques and that the Geneva Conventions are "obsolete".

White House press secretary Tony Snow denied that the announcement constitutes a major shift in policy. 
"It is not really a reversal of policy. Humane treatment has always been the standard," he said.
Crime and law United States North America US Supreme Court