Up And Out

Remember the Hamdan case, where the Supreme Court "repudiated the Bush administration's plan to put Guantánamo detainees on trial before military commissions"? The decision which was "such a sweeping and categorical defeat for the Bush administration that it left human rights lawyers who have pressed this and other cases on behalf of Guantanamo detainees almost speechless with surprise and delight"? Remember that one? Lieutenant Commander Charlie Swift certainly will. McClatchy (10.08.06), via LeftCoaster:

"The Navy lawyer who took the Guantanamo case of Osama bin Laden's driver to the U.S. Supreme Court -- and won -- has been passed over for promotion by the Pentagon and must soon leave the military. Lt. Cmdr. Charles Swift, 44, said last week he received word that he had been denied a promotion to full-blown Navy commander this summer -- 'about two weeks after' the Supreme Court sided against the White House and with his client, a Yemeni captive at the U.S. Navy base in southeast Cuba." Gitmo lawyer forced into retirement

"Under the military's 'up or out' promotion system, Swift will retire in March or April, closing out a 20-year career of military service." LATimes (06.30.06):

"Colleagues attributed the high court ruling to what they considered to be Swift's determination to protect the integrity of U.S. jurisprudence against a Pentagon bent on retribution for terrorism attacks on U.S. forces. 'He must have known when he took this on that he was risking his career, and sadly he may have done that within the U.S. Navy.'" Lonely Victory for U.S. Navy Lawyer