Met with news that the Supreme Court has blocked his administration's plans for military tribunals at the Guantanamo Bay prison, President Bush says the White House will study the decision. The court said the administration's approach does not meet the standards of international law or federal statutes.
But it also left the door open for Congress to authorize changes in the law. "We will conform to the Supreme Court," the president said. But he also hinted that the government would explore the option of creating laws to enable it to hold military tribunals for enemy combatants.
"To the extent that the Congress is given any latitude to develop a way forward using military tribunals," President Bush said, "we will work with them."
Later in the day, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow argued that the ruling does not say that the president has overreached in terms of his authority to deal with Guantanamo detainees. The Supreme Court "hasn't said you can't bring them to justice," Snow said.
He added that the court requires the White House to work with Congress to formalize the process.
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