It has been reported today that Omar Khadr, the youngest detainee held at Guantanamo, has pled guilty to all charges against him. In exchange for his guilty plea, it is believed he will be required to serve a year in US custody before being remanded to his native Canada to serve additional time. Khadr's plea after his incarceration, torture, coerced confession is a glaring example of just how flawed the U. S. Military Commissions system is.
The government probably believes it is saving face by having Khadr accept the charges. However, today's announcement only serves to re-enforce the reputation of the United States as a nation that talks about principles of fairness and due process but arrogantly disregards them. It's perhaps most disappointing that President Obama maintains this status quo by failing to uphold his campaign promise, “to restore the standards of due process and the core constitutional values that have made this country great”.