"Today's ruling highlights the lack of accountability in the U.S. courts for serious crimes committed by government officials in the name of national security, such as kidnapping and torture, " said Jamil Dakwar, director of the ACLU Human Rights Program.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

White House officials have set expectations low, even as they laid out a list of topics they planned to discuss, including trade, currency controls, human rights and Iran's nuclear program.

WSJ: U.S. Mindful of Protocol During Xi's Visit

For many years, our education program did not include discussions on basic human rights.

FORBES: Connect

American, Japanese and South Korean governments have all at one time or another decided that pressure on human rights might distract from diplomatic negotiations over the more dangerous threat from the North's nuclear weapons program --which is, of course, one of the reasons the North wants nuclear weapons.

CNN: A nation ruled through anguish and terror

But human rights groups are skeptical that the scheme will work any better than the porous oil-for-food program in Iraq, under which Saddam Hussein starved his citizens and bought arms with impunity.

FORBES: Dangerous Liaisons