No Justice for Former US Hostages Held in Iraq

A recent headline in the Washington Post stated "$13 Billion in Iraq Aid Wasted Or Stolen, Ex-Investigator Says". The total amount of aid provided by the U.S. is somewhere in excess of $50 Billion U.S. Dollars.

In the meantime, approximately 200 U.S. Citizens held hostage in Iraq nineteen years ago have yet to receive justice. During the Bush Administration, numerous attempts were made by Congress to get Iraq to pay compensation to these hostages. Each time, the Bush Administration vetoed the bills and the Senate was too "weak minded" to attempt to override his vetoes.

Last year, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed H.R. 5167, which would have forced Iraq to negotiate a settlement with suggested maximum compensation per person of $900,000 - in some cases a significant decrease from awards granted in 2002, to those cases that had already received judgements. The Senate did not take up this bill as they were told by the Bush Administration that it would be vetoed and again the Senate was too weak minded to attempt to override his threatened veto.

In May of this year, Congressman Sestak of Pennsylvania introduced H.R. 2241, titled "
‘‘Equitable Compensation for American Victims of Torture Act of 2009’’. This bill has been in committee since that time with no action taken. The primary reason given for "no action taken" is that the U.S. State Department has been attempting to negotiate a settlement with the Government of Iraq and Congress has been waiting for either a positive or negative result before considering the new bill.

Unfortunately, most Congressmen/women and Senators do not understand how the Middle Eastern culture deals with Westerners (friend or foe). First, they will tell you what they think you want to hear while at the same time delaying any concrete action as long as possible. Second, they will find many reasons to not take any responsibility for something done while they were not in charge. Lastly, they will take no action unless the consequences cost more than the action. This is why it is important for the House of Representatives (or Senate) to show movement on getting H.R. 2241 passed. If the Iraqis see that a bill is coming which would force them to settle these outstanding claims, then and only then will they negotiate with the State Department in good faith.

Many of those U.S. Citizens that were held hostage have suffered either physically or mentally from their ordeal in Iraq. In addition, they have been riding a roller coaster for the past nineteen years with promises that never materialized. Lastly, several former hostages have died without seeing justice prevail. The total cost to Iraq to settle all these claims is one-tenth the amount that U.S. Taxpayers have seen wasted in aid to the Iraq Government.

It is time to put pressure on the Iraq Government to settle these claims and live up to their International responsibilities!