Several Premiership footballers are charged with a serious assault in Spain and heaven and earth are moved to try to get them released on bail after just one day.

Yet four British citizens were imprisoned without charge or a trial by the Americans in inhumane conditions in Guantanamo Bay for more than two years and most people, including our Government, were apparently unconcerned.

It now appears that America, the self-styled Land Of The Free, is a law unto itself.

It refused to allow any of its citizens to be brought before an international court of justice and it will not observe any international treaties to deal with global warming.

If any other country was to act in this way the British and US governments would no doubt denounce it as a rogue state and threaten it with invasion.

-John Mellor, Chichester