Gulf War POWs lose out on legislation seeking money

[Guest guest]

> October 31, 2003

>

> Gulf War POWs lose out on legislation seeking money

>

> Associated Press

>

> LAS VEGAS Legislation intended to help prisoners of war held by Saddam

> Hussein during the first Gulf War was set aside in Congress.

>

> Seventeen former POWs, including Las Vegas resident Jeff Tice, won a $959

> million court judgment against Iraq this past summer but have been unable

> to collect after the government transferred frozen Iraqi funds to federal

> rebuilding accounts.

>

> Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., sponsored an amendment to aid the POWs, placing

it

> as part of the $87 billion bill to support military and reconstruction

> efforts in Iraq.

>

> Under State Department pressure, congressional negotiators set aside the

> amendment, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Oct. 31.

>

> Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage sent a letter to the

negotiators

> saying the legislation was inconsistent with our national objectives

> regarding Iraq.

>

> Armitage said President Bush designated the money for use by the Iraqi

people.

>

> On Oct. 30, Reid blamed the Bush administration and members of Congress

for

> failing to help the POWs.

>

> They are too interested in saving money, but this is not taxpayer

> dollars,Reid said. I would rather give money to Tice than build something

> in Iraq.

>

> Reid said he would look to attach the amendment to other bills, but there

> are few options with the congressional session winding down in November.

>

> Tice, who was an Air Force lieutenant colonel and is a commercial pilot

for

> American Airlines, said he still has hope of gaining compensation, which

he

> intends to donate to a fund for other POWs.

>

> This was just one more step,he said. Unfortunately it was in the wrong

> direction.

>

> Tice, 48, stood to receive $26 million from the court judgment. During the

> Gulf War, he ejected over Iraq after a missile hit his F-16.

>

> During his 46 days as a POW, Tice said he was beaten, kicked, tortured

with

> electric shocks and forced to play Russian roulette.

>

> http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292243-2356950.php

>