WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama, in a bid to reconcile with the Teheran regime, has blocked legislation that would hold Iran accountable for the Hizbullah bombing that killed 241 U.S. Marines in 1983.
A survivors group has asserted that the administration is pressuring Democrats in Congress not to support a bill that would enforce massive judgements against Iran by the families of the Marines. In 2007, a U.S. federal district court judge found Iran liable for the Beirut bombing and ordered Teheran to pay $2.65 billion in damages.
A U.S. Marine searches the rubble on Oct. 31, 1983, after an Oct. 23 attack on the headquarters of the U.S. troops of the multinational force in Beirut, Lebanon. In twin attacks on U.S. and French military installations, suicide bombers driving trucks killed 299 French and Americans, including 241 U.S. service members.
“This administration talks a lot about sanctions, but we know Iran is watching this case closely and, astonishingly, Obama’s people are taking Iran’s side,” Lynn Smith Derbyshire, a lobbyist for the legislation, said.
Ms. Derbyshire, whose brother Marine Capt. Vincent Smith was killed in the 1983 bombing, said survivors and their families were urging Congress to support amendments to the Iran Sanctions Bill, scheduled for mark-up in the Senate Banking Committee on Feb. 2.
But they said committee members were being pressed by the White House not to vote for amendments that would hold Teheran responsible for the 1983 attack and transfer the $2.65 billion awarded in 2007. The Iran Sanctions Bill would enable U.S. sanctions on foreign companies that purchase or ship oil through the Iranian government or sell telecommunications equipment to Teheran.
“We have petitioned Congress to prevent the government of the Islamic republic of Iran from avoiding its obligations to pay judgments awarded to past and future victims and survivors of Iranian terrorism,” Ms. Derbyshire said on Jan. 30. “We’ve spoken with many sympathetic members of Congress but they won’t act while this administration is blocking what we and the American people know is right.”
Over the last decade, the families of Iranian-sponsored attacks have won billions of dollars in suits against the Teheran regime. But the federal government, particularly the State Department, has blocked access to Iranian assets or funds in the United States.
Ms. Derbyshire said she represents more than 1,000 families across the
United States in the campaign to target Teheran and its finances. The group has also lobbied Congress to strengthen the U.S. law that bans Iran from laundering money in the United States to finance Hizbullah and other insurgency proxies.
“We can show that international banks have moved billions of dollars of funds from Bank Markazi, Iran’s central bank, through banks in the U.S.,” Ms. Derbyshire said. “So far that money has been untouchable. We believe that is wrong. We are confident that most Americans would agree. Yet, the Obama administration is thwarting our efforts.”
You won’t find NeoCons in Foggy Bottom.
Who’s putting such stray thoughts in your noodle?
Neurons? What’s that?
I nominate my pet mongoose. He would never take a bribe.
Americans are being “snookered” by the Iranians every each way.
The hope is that the suit will prevail.
The orientalists are in power and oil is the only commodity that matter.
The greatest commodity on earth is : Neurons.
have you overlooked a federal civil court has most recently found Iran responsible for the 9/11 attack against mainland America resulting in thousands of dead and injured —
any astute investigator will uncover that the U S was warned of the attack by reliable sources some months before it took place and did nothing –this coming after the first attack some years earlier executed by Muslims
What is the bill number? people should contact their Congressman and Senators to support the bill. Let them know that is a public awareness of this travesty of justice.
Andrew,
I would say that the US President is deeply in debt to people who do not have the interests of US citizens at heart. My solution is to vote for anyone or any thing that opposes him. If some Republican’s pet dog is nominated to run against him, I will vote for the dog.
JoE McCarthy was right about the Commies infiltrating the State Department. They have since mutated into the NeoCons and the Saudi’s pet cats – all anti-semites. When O’vomit is replaced, its time to clean house, starting with the State Department.
Yeah Andy, Obama is one of them, no matter what anyone says.
Its a great mystery to me.
Americans taken hostage from their embassy in 1979. Nothing is done about it. The 1983 suicide bombing and nothing is done about it. Iran supporting militias in the Iraq war. Supporting the Taliban in Afganistan. Nothing is done about it.
Even the saudis have urged Obama to cut the head off the snake and yet nothing is done.
Am I missing something?