Discussion Questions

Aired November 11, 2003

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear two appeals over whether hundreds of terrorist suspects are being held unlawfully at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

1. Where is Guantanamo Bay military base? Why are prisoners being held there? Why are they called detainees? According to the detainees' attorney, what is at the heart of their case?

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2. Do you think it is significant that the Supreme Court has agreed to hear these cases? Why or why not? What presidential powers do these cases put to the test? What is the Bush administration's perspective on the detainees' rights?

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3. Do you think that the detainees at Guantanamo Bay should be afforded the same rights as those who are accused of crimes in the United States? Why or why not? Are there additional questions you would want to ask before you could answer?

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Related Sites

CNN.com: Supreme Court will hear first appeals involving Guantanamo detainees (http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/11/10/scotus.detainees/index.html)

CNN.com: Jeffrey Toobin: 'Likely the government will win' (http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/11/10/otsc.toobin/)

White House: Guantanamo Detainees (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/02/20020207-13.html)

Holt, Rinehart and Winston: Analyzing Current Events (http://go.hrw.com/resources/go_ss/teacher99/toolkit/TOOLKT02.pdf)

Keywords

jurisdiction, incarcerated, Guantanamo Bay, Donald Rumsfeld, detainees, judicial review, sovereign, interrogation