Why has it taken so long?

betr.: „US-Urteil erleichtert“, taz vom 1. 7. 06

I believe most Americans are happy the US Supreme Court has finally declared this prison at Guantanamo to be illegal. The main question is why has it taken so long? Why didn’t the Court speak out long ago and what should be the punishment for a Government that ignores the American constitution and our civil rights? It will take a long time for the USA to regain international respect for what was lost at this illegal Cuban prison. CHARLES SMITH, Hochheim