CIA to hand out life sentences without legal review

The Bush administration is preparing to indefinitely detain suspected terrorists, "whom the government does not have enough evidence to charge in courts." CIA and Pentagon officials are hoping the White House will issue "a more permanent approach for potentially lifetime detentions." For now, in what are called renditions, the CIA transfers "captives it picks up abroad to third countries willing to hold them indefinitely and without public proceedings." Many times the prisoners are tortured.

In contrast to CIA prisoners, military detainees are guaranteed access to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the right to challenge their imprisonment in federal court. Little is known about the CIA's captives and the lack of scrutiny could, as the article points out, certainly lead to abuse. However, now the CIA is looking to give out life sentences without conducting legal reviews. Why can't these prisoners appear in secret courts and argue their cases? If they're convicted, then they'll serve their time. But to just indiscriminately hand out life sentences seems barbaric.