Sometimes, the saddest things make me laugh out loud

The New York Times > Washington > Reporter's Notebook: An Outpost's Defining Military Moment: "The dominant personality at the tribunals clearly has been Col. Peter S. Brownback III, the presiding officer of the panel....
Because the rules make him a juror as well as a judge, defense lawyers are entitled to question him about potential biases.

Colonel Brownback, who is not gifted with a poker face, did not seem to enjoy the process....Most of the time, however, he seemed as if he wanted to lunge across the tables that separated him from Commander Swift and grab him by the neck just above the defense lawyer's dress white uniform.

In the morning session, Colonel Brownback denied he had told a group of military lawyers on July 15 that he believed the detainees did not have any right to a speedy trial. A few hours later, Commander Swift brought up the matter again, asking permission to enter into evidence an audio recording of the meeting in which Colonel Brownback was supposed to have made the remarks.

Colonel Brownback said he did not know anyone was recording the meeting. He then put his head in his hands. Reporters who timed the incident said he sat that way for 90 seconds before he agreed to have the evidence included."