Lt. Cmdr. Charles Swift -- the Navy lawyer who beat the president of
the United States in a pivotal Supreme Court battle over trying alleged
terrorists -- figures he'll probably have to find a new job.

Of course, it's always risky to compare your boss to King George III.

Swift made the analogy to the court, saying President Bush had
overstepped his authority when he bypassed Congress and set up illegal
military tribunals to try Guantanamo detainees such as Swift's alleged
al-Qaida client, Salim Ahmed Hamdan.

The justices agreed, ruling 5-3 Thursday in favor of dismantling the
current tribunal system.

Despite his spectacular success, with the assistance of attorneys from
the Seattle firm Perkins Coie, Swift thinks his military career is
coming to an end. The 44-year-old Judge Advocate General officer, who
was recently named one of the 100 most influential lawyers in the
country by The National Law Journal, was passed over for promotion last
year as the high-profile case was making headlines around the world.

[snip]

Swift's future in the Navy now rests with another promotion board that
is expected to render its decision in the next couple of weeks. Under
the military's system, officers need to be promoted at regularly
scheduled intervals or their service careers are essentially over.

Can you give me an address -- either e-mail or snail mail -- through
which i can contact LtCdr Smith? As a Navy and Viet Nam vet, i think
that Lieutenant Commander Smith exemplifies the highest standards of
Naval service and of the defense attorney.

I think it's a damned shame that he's going to get tossed out of a job
he obviously loves and does exceedingly well for doing it exceedingly
well.

If there is no address you feel that you can in good conscience give
me, if you can relay a message to him, please tell him i send him a
salute and a "Well done!"

michael a. weber
former ETN2

¶ 1:50 PM