POWs’ Plea

(9 am. – promoted by ek hornbeck)

Last night the Rachel Maddow MSNBC show had a couple of clips about a very important legislative bill that passed in the House of Representatives on monday  Sept 15 ’08.

The bill is H. R. 5167 which had 38 co-sponsors with only 3 being Republican.

The bill’s name is: Justice for Victims of Torture and Terrorism Act

But watch a video, of which I combined two of her reports together, that will explain further.

She had another segment, with the highest ranking officer held prisoner at that time, and mentioned in the above clips, Colonel (ret) David William Eberly, which they didn’t have that clip up at their site so I couldn’t add it, though it was only a short interview prior to talking to the congressman.

Some past history of what has been going on with the POW’s situation and the GOP Administrations blocking of:

This is a December 30, 2007 LA Times article:  Defense bill’s demise stymies ex-POWs’ suit

President Bush surprised Congress by refusing to sign a Defense Department authorization bill, in part because the legislation could revive a lawsuit brought by American prisoners of war during the 1991 Persian Gulf War who say they were tortured by the Iraqis.

Their suit sought to establish the principle that war prisoners who were tortured in violation of the Geneva Convention were entitled to sue the country that tortured them.

By keeping the bill from becoming law, the president delayed pay raises for the troops and improvements in the care of wounded veterans. On Thursday, he pointed to a little-noted provision in the huge bill and said it could trigger a wave of lawsuits that might “imperil billions of dollars of Iraqi assets.”

Now an update tied to the Maddow report House gives go-ahead to sue Iraq over torture

Former POWs’ and civilians who were tortured or held hostage during the 1991 Gulf War could pursue lawsuits against Iraq under legislation the House has approved.

The White House, saying the bill would threaten economic and political progress in Iraq, threatened to veto the measure if it reaches the president’s desk. It still has to clear the Senate.

What could be behind the GOP Administrations actions? Let your imagination run wild, it doesn’t need to run to far, believe me!

The bill limits total recovery for those held hostage to $900,000. Those tortured would be eligible to receive up to $2.5 million plus $6,000 for every day held.

Now this brings up the Very Interesting Future for this Bill, or one similar, as it goes to the Senate, and if chopped up to get the signature, how chopped up, and if there is even a way the former POWs’ can get their due justice with a presidential signature or congressional votes to overcome any veto.

This is a Bill that should be watched Very Closely, Very Closely!

Will the GOP Candidate, and Vietnam POW, even attend the sessions of congress to debate and vote on it, he’s missed a number of votes this year already?

If he does, how will he vote?

Will he be the ‘Maverick’, that everyone seems to have labeled him with, and royally blast the present administration about their stance on this, didn’t hear anything before?

But lets go back abit. This ‘Maverick’ GOP Senator was in the Majority when 9/11 occurred. That same Majority, and the country, sided with the administration in sending our military troops to invade Afghanistan and Capture or Kill the supposed ringleaders of al Qaeda who admittedly carried out the attacks of 9/11.

That same Majority, and this ‘Maverick’, than joined forces with the administration in turning the attention from Afghanistan, bin Laden {still not captured or killed as are the other leaders of}, al Qaeda, to an invasion of Iraq, pulling military forces and resources for that invasion, still in Afghanistan as the past couple of months has grown more dangerous, and still in Iraq an Iraq of instability.

The same Majority, and this ‘Maverick’, who seemed, in their joy and rush to send our Military to Wars and Occupations rubber stamping everything the administration wanted, didn’t seem to even Think about those troops and how they were to be taken care of when physically and mentally maimed, nor as to their living conditions at the military care facilities nor the bases they live on, and also, once again {we ‘Nam Vets saw it all during, after, and since that debacle} being veterans of from their service to country!

I don’t remember to many ‘Maverick’ Strong Voice Oppositions against any of this, any said were just blowing words out of mouth into air caught maybe in the archives of the places said.

Now this ‘Maverick’ seems to be saying everything is just ‘ducky’ in Iraq, after 6yrs. of occupation, even though the purpose of the ‘surge’ he totes as successful was to bring to Iraq a Government For All The People Of, that hasn’t happened yet and things seem to be moving rapidly towards more sectarian violence not a United Iraq!

Once again, lets see what this ‘Maverick’ does as to this Bill, not only does but What He’ll Say, that is if he even bothers taking his Senate Seat to Debate and Vote on this for the POW’s Plea!!!