Enemy Belligerents
Congress Debates Indefinite Detentions and Military Tribunials
After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the United States began a campaign to track down the individuals responsible for the atrocities and any co-conspirators or supporters who could continue to pose a threat to national security. Congress authorized the president “to use all necessary and appropriate force” in accomplishing this goal, with military and intelligence operations starting shortly thereafter. The United States apprehended individuals in places like Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Yemen, presenting the George W. Bush Administration with the question of what to do with the detainees. Starting in early 2002, the United States began transferring foreign belligerents to…
