Padilla gets 17 years

The evidence strongly suggests that Jose Padilla was a very dangerous person who probably deserved the 17 year sentence he has just received.

The question now is just how long he is likely to serve given the obvious flaws in the trial process and the prosecution case. I strongly suspect it will turn out to be rather less than 17 years.

The ongoing legacy of the Jack Bauer years is going to be that the prosecution evidence in every US terrorism prosecution is going to be clouded by credible allegations of torture.