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Who's "quaint" now?

Better late than never, or what a difference a Supreme Court decision makes:

Alberto Gonzales, memo to the president, Jan. 25, 2002: "As you have said, the war against terrorism is a new kind of war ... In my judgment, this new paradigm renders obsolete [the Geneva Conventions'] strict limitations on questioning of enemy prisoners and renders quaint some of its provisions."

Donald Rumsfeld's office, memo to military officials, July 7, 2006: "The Supreme Court has determined that Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 applies as a matter of law to the conflict with Al Qaeda ... You will ensure that all DoD personnel adhere to these standards."

White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, July 11, 2006: "It's not really a reversal of policy."

Gonzales to DOJ on wiretapping: Who cares about you?
The then-White House counsel wrote a scathing letter to Justice saying the president had decided what was legal
The curse of Obama's old Senate seat
The president's last job certainly helped him out -- so why does no one else want it?
Iran frees journalist after 18 days in prison
The reporter says he was mainly treated well, but was slapped during one interrogation
Report: Bush's surveillance program larger than previously thought
The previous administration's surveillance was even more extensive than we'd known, and DOJ didn't like it

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The curse of Obama's old Senate seat
The president's last job certainly helped him out -- so why does no one else want it?
Iran frees journalist after 18 days in prison
The reporter says he was mainly treated well, but was slapped during one interrogation
Report: Bush's surveillance program larger than previously thought
The previous administration's surveillance was even more extensive than we'd known, and DOJ didn't like it
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War Room is written and edited by Alex Koppelman, with contributions from Salon reporters around the country.