Reader Chad D. writes, "This morning, in a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld that President Bush's decision to try alleged al Qaeda combatant Salim Ahmed Hamdan for conspiracy before a military commission was illegal under U.S. and international law. The opinion, written by native Chicagoan, U. of C. and Northwestern alumnus John Paul Stephens, also expressed concern that 'conspiracy,' as a stand-alone offense, 'is not a recognized violation of the law of war.' Relief may be in order."