INTERNATIONAL: "France Clears 5 Ex-Inmates Whom U.S. Held in Cuba," by Steven Erlanger, New York Times< 25 February 2009.

Five French citizens who were previously processed through Gitmo and returned to France for trial have now had their convictions tossed by an appeals court, which said the nature of the interrogations and evidence gathering conducted at Gitmo violated French rules and that, with that evidence tossed, there wasn't enough to uphold the convictions.

The story on all five seems similar: went to Afghanistan for al Qaeda training camp experiences but never were turned on as operatives, so the basic line is, preparation to be a baddie isn't enough.

And quite frankly, that's a fairly American ruling.

But for this ruling to now come is a bit of a thunderclap in anticipation of Euro states expressing little willingness to help us empty Gitmo. Tells you how far away from our own principles we seem to have veered.