Marc Falkoff, a Northern Illinois University law professor who represents 17 detainees, said one of his Yemeni clients has a 6-year-old daughter with whom he has never spoken.

"To be honest, I don't know whether speaking with her will lift him from his depression or simply shatter him," said Falkoff, who added that the man has grown so hopeless he has asked his lawyers to stop meeting with him.

Another says: "I will believe it when I see it."

No start date has been set for the calls, nor has the Penatagon said which detainees will be able to have the phone calls.

Nor has the Administration explained why it no longer deems the calls to be a security threat. Perhaps because those being detained aren't security risks?

In any event, it's clear the detainees are getting more frustrated as their plight seems increasingly hopeless. The frustration undoubtedly makes them harder to manage.

Another recently instituted change to counter the frustration: offering the detainees "humanities courses."