In this essay, your analysis will focus on the 2006 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld. This is a case involving the legality of the detention and trial of suspected terrorists using military commissions established under the administration of President George W. Bush. This case was surrounded by considerable controversy and social turmoil, and your essay will focus on how this judicial decision has affected U.S. treatment of individuals detained by the U.S. government under suspicion of their involvement in terrorist activities against the United States.

Assignment Guidelines

• Address the following in 5″7 pages:
  1. Briefly summarize the key issues as well as the key decisions in the U.S. Supreme Court caseHamdan v. Rumsfeld, 548 U.S. 557 (2006).
  2. Contextualize this case with background regarding legislation, policy statements, and news commentary related to the situation to help the readers of your essay understand the events that led up to this case.
     • Note that some of the background can be found in the case itself.
  3. Analyze the impact that this case has had on current social policy regarding the detention, treatment, and possible trial of persons suspected of involvement in terrorist activity against the United States.
     • Please be sure to look at the policies in place under the current administration as well.
  4. Provide your own conclusions about what the outcomes of this case mean for the making, enforcement and interpretation of policy on issues such as detention and torture of enemy combatants.