When The President Again Stabs Himself In The Back

President Bush says 14 high value detainees kept in secret CIA prisons have been transferred to the custody of the U.S. Defense Department and will be granted prisoner-of-war status.

This is the first time the administration has confirmed the existence of prisons run by the Central Intelligence Agency. In a speech broadcast from the White House, the president said the prisons existed to detain and question a small number of the most dangerous terrorists.

The prisoners are said to include high-profile al Qaida members Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Ramzi Binalshibh, who have both been linked to the September 11th, 2001 attacks on the United States. Their change of status means they will be given protection under the international Geneva conventions, which outline humane treatment for prisoners of war.
[ cf Bush Says CIA Detainees Will Get Prisoner-of-War Status]