Political Flame War Thread - Part 34

[DeeMutz[SS]]

WASHINGTON — The latest chapter in the legal history of torture is being written by American pilots who were beaten and abused by Iraqis during the 1991 Persian Gulf War. And it has taken a strange twist.

The Bush administration is fighting the former prisoners of war in court, trying to prevent them from collecting nearly $1 billion from Iraq that a federal judge awarded them as compensation for their torture at the hands of Saddam Hussein's regime.

The rationale: Today's Iraqis are good guys, and they need the money.

WHOLE STORY

Gee ... kinda make ya wonder what Bush will do later with all the troops over there now when they come home

[BirdMan[SS]]

That seems messed up.

[WindsorFox[SS]]

Surely you realize Bush himself has nothing to do with that. I would however love to know exactly who is responsible and the guys deserve both their money and to see there torturers put in prison.

[DeathsDoor[SS]]

You just love this controversy stuff don't you! Just when I thought I had gone into retirement....okay you dragged me in!

First off, you have to think of the ramifications of what this settlement means. If we as Americans are allowed to sue foreign governments and to collect judgements based on our court system, then we are opening up our soldiers and politicians to the same in foreign courts. This is the reasons the last 3 presidents have voted against us joining in on the EU's proposal of a World Court. We do not want foreign courts holding trials in abstencia of our military and politicians and sentencing them to jail. Henry Kissenger, a former secretary of state cannot go to eastern europe as he has been sought after by this same court for supposed war crimes.

Sure our soldiers did not deserve what they got during their prisoner of war status in the first Gulf War, but they are soldiers and airmen that knew that being captured was a risk. They are trained to survive in these types of conditions. They won this judgement in a civil court not a military court. These type of judgements would never have been given in a military court as it is expected in times of war that military members will be caught. Thats why the Geneva Convention was first introduced as rules for the treatment of prisioners in times of war. I know that in some cases the GC is bull and has been used against us but it is the best we got that the members of the UN have all signed and are supposed to adhere to.

I didn't enjoy seeing our prisoners paraded around Baghdad in GWI and was pissed as hell but, I think everything we have done in GWII has shown not only Saddam Hussein that we were serious but the whole middle east that the torture of Americans will not be tolerated. We may not feel that way sometimes when we see Americans being paraded around but I can send you some pictures of people who aren't so brave anymore after a 500 lb bomb was dropped in their martini glass....