Bush failed to support POWs

Congressman Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) testified in a House Judiciary Committee hearing on ensuring the redress for American victims of state sponsored terrorism. He said that President Bush’s willingness to veto the National Defense Authorization Act because of Iraqi interests was outrageous. He said that the National Defense Authorization Act would have given U.S. soldiers a 3.5 percent pay raise along with allowing those who had been tortured to seek compensation.

He said the President’s claim that settling these lawsuits would hurt Iraq’s reconstruction is ridiculous because Iraq is projected to make $100 billion dollars in oil revenues alone, during 2008. He said that passing legislation that will hold the government of Iraq accountable is essential to uphold international law.

Congressman Joe Sestak (D-Pa.) said that the government of Iraq reportedly told President Bush that it would reportedly withdraw $25 billion worth of assets from U.S. markets if President Bush did not veto the bill. He said that after the President vetoed the bill Congress should have intervened and overridden the veto. He said that if this issue is not resolved it will put an “enhanced risk” of torture on American POWs in the future.