1991 Gulf War POWs Sue Saddam

The Story

POW’s from the 1991 Gulf War are suing the Iraqi government for damages because of their treatment. Here’s an excerpt:

Does anyone think they will win? Should they?

So … they’re suing a foreign country … under a U.S. law that was passed with only U.S. approval?

How old is this “Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act”, anyway?

The Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976 provides (in part):

28 U.S.C. § 1605.

What if Saddam spilled hot coffee on our troops?

Only if it is McDonald’s coffee.

GTPhD1996

Well, if there’s a regime change, then how can you sue a new regime for what its predecessor did? I think it would be politically sort of bad form to set up a brand-spanking new puppet government and then try to sue them, especially since they won’t have any money anyway. The guy the POWs have beef against is dead…even if he’s not dead yet.

Diogenes the Cynic,

You made an interesting point: how you do hold a current adminstration guilty of a previous administration’s crime?

How often on this message board has someone blamed Pres Bush for actions the US made during the past 200 years?

ie “The US is the only country to use nuclear weapons.” or “the US shouldn’t attack Iraq because the US supported Saddam over 20 years ago”

Changing administrations is far less dramatic than changing regimes. When a new president takes office, the regime is just changing leaders; the same constitution and laws are in force, the government’s debts are still valid, and the new president carries on his or her predecessor’s executive orders and policies until they are changed by the applicable process. This continuity is lacking in a regime change, where the new regime can easily repudiate its predecessor’s acts and debts.