WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court today decided not to stop the U.S. government from sending former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega to France to face money laundering charges.

The high court refused to hear an appeal from Noriega, who wanted to be sent back to his native country after finishing his drug sentence in the United States.

The court's majority turned away Noriega's appeal without comment. Justice Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia said they would have heard the appeal, however, to help decide what the law is for prisoners of war being held by the United States.

"Providing that guidance in this case would allow us to say what the law is without the unnecessary delay and other complications that could burden a decision on these questions in Guantánamo or other detainee litigation arising out of the conflict with al-Qaida," Thomas said in his dissent.

Noriega is the only person currently being detained by the United States as a prisoner of war, government officials said.

Noriega was ousted as Panama's leader and brought to Miami to stand trial following a 1989 U.S. invasion that drove him from power. He was convicted of drug racketeering and related charges in 1992 and declared a prisoner of war by U.S. District Judge William Hoeveler.