Tortured US POWS: Bush confiscates their money

[charlie]

The Bush administration is seeking to block a group of American troops who were tortured in Iraqi prisons during the Persian Gulf war in 1991 from collecting any of the hundreds of millions of dollars in frozen Iraqi assets they won last summer in a federal court ruling against the government of Saddam Hussein.

In a court challenge that the administration is winning so far but is not eager to publicize, administration lawyers have argued that Iraqi assets frozen in bank accounts in the United States are needed for Iraqi reconstruction and that the judgment won by the 17 former American prisoners should be overturned.

...

"No amount of money can truly compensate these brave men and women for the suffering that they went through at the hands of a truly brutal regime," said Scott McClellan, the White House spokesman. "It was determined earlier this year by Congress and the administration that those assets were no longer assets of Iraq, but they were resources required for the urgent national security needs of rebuilding Iraq."

...

The administration moved within days of Judge Roberts's decision to block the former prisoners from collecting any money. On July 30, the judge reluctantly sided with the government, saying Mr. Bush's actions after the overthrow of Mr. Hussein had barred the transfer of the frozen assets to the former prisoners.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/10/international/middleeast/10POWS.html?pagewanted=print

There you have it, Dubya the bagman. Bush will go to any length to ensure every last stray kopek, peso, and penny goes into the pockets of his Halliburton buddies. Meanwhile, has anyone heard squat from him about the charge that $4 billion in coalition funding has disappeared into private bank accounts? Or the subcontracts his no-bid contractors are making, allowing them to realize up to 90% profits on taxpayer-funded payments for services?

[DuctapeFatwa]

1. To do otherwise could up legal costs when those who survive torture

by the bush regime sue.

[pruner]

2. Dean issued a statement about this yesterday

Dean Condemns Administration for Failing To Honor Former Prisoners of War

DES MOINES--Governor Howard Dean, M.D., today reacted to the Administration's effort to block American troops who were tortured in Iraqi prisons during the Persian Gulf war from collecting any of the hundreds of millions of dollars in frozen Iraqi assets they won last summer in a federal court ruling against the government of Saddam Hussein:

"On the eve of Veteran's Day, we have learned that President Bush is blocking troops tortured in the first Gulf War from recovering due compensation for their horrible suffering. As we prepare to commemorate the heroism of the patriotic Americans who have served and sacrificed for our country, I am stunned by the hypocrisy of the Bush Administration and their betrayal of our troops," Governor Dean said.

"Instead of blocking the compensation rightfully owed to these war heroes, the President should freeze the profits of Halliburton and his other cronies who are benefiting most from the $87 billion to rebuild Iraq. I call on Congress to ask: if the recent $87 billion allocation does not provide for our veterans who fought in Iraq--where is this money going?" he added.

According to today's New York Times, administration lawyers have argued that Iraqi assets frozen in bank accounts in the United States are needed for Iraqi reconstruction. They also argue that a judgment won by the former American prisoners should be overturned.

Howard Dean also released the following statement today commemorating America's veterans and outlining his policies:

http://blog.deanforamerica.com/archives/002214.html#more

[MrPrax]

3. I am wondering if the deep motive...

is precedence. If these victims get justice under US law, then other Iraqi 'torture' victims might use it and seek similar re-dress under US law...
Just a thought...

[iverglas]

7. there may be precedent now, but the wrong way

... the wrong way. Prisoners of war held by the Japanese during WWII have been similarly denied the right to seek redress.

This is a bill introduced in the US Congress; I don't really know anything about its fate:
http://www.theorator.com/bills108/hr1864.html

An article about it:
http://www.house.gov/honda/POW_articles/Honda_Rohrabacher_push_for_POW_reparations.PDF
It appears to relate to claims for compensation from corporations that used POW slave labour.

An article from the LA Times: http://www.sjwar.org/lat033100.htm

I'm not being too helpful; don't know the status of the Japanese POW situation. Anyone who wants more could try what I asked google for: compensation japan "prisoners of war" "united states"

The Korean women held as sex slaves have also sought compensation from the Japanese government.

The Canadian story: http://www.waramps.ca/video/chkv.html

News of the atrocities carried out under the
direction of the Japanese government in The
Second World War prompted The War Amps to
argue a claim for compensation for former Hong
Kong Prisoners of War before the Human
Rights Commission of the United Nations in
Geneva beginning in 1987. Japan stonewalled
the claim and the Human Rights Commission
was reluctant to proceed without the support of
the Canadian government.

Canada's Department of Justice stated that the
Peace Treaty signed between Japan and Canada
in 1952 extinguished the claim. However, The
War Amps pointed out that international law
states no government can waive the right of its
citizens for claims under the Geneva
Convention.

...
On December 11, 1998, the Canadian
government granted compensation of $24,000
to each surviving Far East PoW or to their
widow for the forced labour that the Canadian
servicemen endured while prisoners of the
Japanese during the Second World War.

Perhaps the US government is planning to pay compensation itself?

I think I need a sarcasm tag there ...


But seriously, it's a difficult question. The government responsible for the POWs' treatment was also responsible for mistreatment of its own population. With that government now gone, the population would be paying the compensation, and should it (morally, kinda, not legally) be held liable for the oppressive government's wrongdoing?

.

Edit: okay, duh, it's late and I missed the point. These POWs actually were awarded the money. Oh well, the Japan stuff is still interesting random info ...

I think maybe the new govt in Iraq, whenever there is one, should be suing to get *all* the money back. And then using some of it to bring the US before the International Court of Justice (note, note the International Criminal Court) for the illegal acts of war etc. it committed.

.

[madrchsod]

4. i`m sure this will be

in every service website and discussion board. the military will not let this go unnoticed.

[Barad Simith]

5. Email this link!

I just sent the link to everyone I know who bothers to vote. Two of them - a brother and a close friend - are freepers, but I don't think even they can resist being outraged about this.

This has to be the most politically masochistic thing this administration has done so far. I don't believe Whistle Ass has any intention of being reelected. He'll be perfectly content to let someone else clean up his greed-induced messes.

[VolcanoJen]

6. Scott McClellan: "No Amount of Money Can Truly Compensate...

... these brave men and women for the suffering they went through at the hands of a very brutal regime, at the hands of Saddam Hussein."

This is the official White House response to yanking the court-ordered money right out of the hands of those suffering soldiers who went through the due process of law, and to justify the placing of the money into the hands of Halliburton and their kind. The White House Press Secretary repeated those words as the official White House response no fewer than four times in Thursday's press conference.

I guess, in other words, the White House has decided, without consulting the soldiers, surely, that no amount of money could compensate them anyway, so why bother awarding it to them.

Be certain to bring this up to your winger friends the next time they mention "Compassionate Conservativism" and "Supporting the Troops."

If that's not enough to make you sickened, please read the entire press conference exchange in Joe Conason's excellent piece at Salon (not sure if non-subscribers can access it):

http://www.salon.com/opinion/conason/2003/11/11/pows/index.html

The entire press briefing transcript from Thursday, November 6 is also available at the White House website; the exchange begins about halfway down the page.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/11/20031106-5.html

Excerpt from the press conference:

Q: But if the law that Congress passed entitles them to access frozen assets of the former regime, then why isn't that money, per a judge's order, available to these victims?

MR. McCLELLAN: That's why I pointed out that that was an issue that was addressed earlier this year. But make no mistake about it, we condemn in the strongest possible terms the torture that these brave individuals went through --

Q: You don't think they should get money?

MR. McCLELLAN: -- at the hands of Saddam Hussein. There is simply no amount of money that can truly compensate those men and women who heroically served --

Q: That's not the issue --

MR. McCLELLAN: -- who heroically served our nation.

Q: Are you opposed to them getting some of the money?

MR. McCLELLAN: And, again, I just said that that had been addressed earlier this year.

Q: No, but it hasn't been addressed. They're entitled to the money under the law. The question is, is this administration blocking their effort to access some of that money, and why?

MR. McCLELLAN: I don't view it that way at all. I view it the way that I stated it, that this issue was --

Q: But you are opposed to them getting the money.

MR. McCLELLAN: This issue was addressed earlier this year, and we believe that there's simply no amount of money that could truly compensate these brave men and women for what they went through and for the suffering that they went through at the hands of Saddam Hussein.

[Barad Simith]

8. kick