I suspect we haven't heard the last of that "after his mind exploded."
They can see what's coming and are trying to shape the outcome, e.g. "Some experts say placing respected civilians on the Bush terror tribunals, such as retired U.S. generals, or former secretaries of defense or attorneys general, would go a long way toward shoring up international support for such commissions."
i.e. let's get some cabal people serving on those tribunals