World leaders guaranteed the future of President Assad’s cronies in a rebuilt Syria today in an attempt to spark a coup against the dictator. Senior figures in the military, security services, and across the Damascus government would have a role after Assad had gone, G8 leaders said at the close of the summit in Northern Ireland The commitment was, in part, at attempt to learn the lessons of Iraq when the swift disbanding of Saddam Hussein’s military and political apparatus triggered sectarian conflict. David Cameron said the aim of the G8 commitment was to persuade Assad loyalists who knew that he must go, that Syria would not collapse into hopeless instability without him. However, hopes of swift progress towards peace talks were dashed when Vladimir Putin stood up to pressure from the other seven G8 leaders. The Russian President blocked proposals to start a Geneva peace process next month and also refused to cut Assad loose despite a diplomatic showdown over dinner on Monday night. Mr Putin also ended the summit on a fractious note when he said that American, French or British military equipment sent to the anti-Assad opposition would end up in the hands of the sort of people who killed Drummer Lee Rigby. Mr Cameron claimed important progress over Syria after two days of talks in County Fermanagh, but he was forced to compromise on his boldest aims because of Russian intransigence. As G8 host, he placed u
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.