If you ask almost anyone on the streets, who do you support, United States Marines or Iran.
101% of real Americans asked that question would say they support the United States Marines.
Can you imagine the either party choosing Iran over American Marines? Can you imagine any Senator choosing Iran over American Marines? Can you imagine Wall Street choosing Iran over American Marines?
Yes it is entirely possible.
In 1983 Iran directed terrorists in Lebanon to do something “spectacular” against the Marines. They did and 241 American Marines died in the attack on the Marine Barracks in Beirut.
In 1996, Congress changed the law to allow state sponsors of terrorism to be sued in American Courts. In 2002, the survivors and families of the fallen Marines won a judgment against Iran for $2.6 billion.
Even the most ardent advocate for the Marine families did not believe anything would come of this judgment. Then investigators found $1.8 billion of Iran’s money in a frozen bank account in the United States.
Real Americans favor giving Iran’s money to the Marines and Marine families. In Congress, both Republicans and Democrats have signed on to S. 2101 in the Senate and H.R. 4070 in the House, which specify that the money in that frozen account goes to the Marine families, not back to Iran.
Now, a Wall Street firm has gotten involved on the side of… Iran. Not the American Marines, but the nation that gave the order to kill them. That Wall Street firm is objecting to the bill to use Iran’s money to help the families, with the phony excuse that it might hurt international banking operations. My sources in Washington tell me that too many key Senators are listening to them.
There are only two sides in this issue: Iran’s or the families’. Does Barack Obama want the families of the Marines to get the money or does he want it to go back to Iran? Where is the Democratic leadership on this? Where is Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey, who sponsored S. 2101 and the original language helping the fallen Marines and their families? Where are Republican leaders on this? Who is listening to that Wall Street firm and holding up the bill?
What is wrong with this picture?
Who in their right mind thinks it is a good idea to give Iran billions of dollars back so they can spend it on terrorism?
The thought that we might give this money back to Iran rather than to the Marines who survived the bombing and the families of the fallen Marines is simply incomprehensible.
The fact that a Wall Street firm would throw roadblocks that help Iran get that money back is appalling. It is worse than appalling.
It is disgusting.
We need your help. The Beirut Marine Families need your help. We need to send a message that our fallen Marines and their families are what is important. Not a nation that is our enemy and whose leadership gave the order to kill those Marines.
Take a moment to call your Congressman and ask them to become a co-sponsor of H.R. 4070. Call your Senator and ask them to co-sponsor the Senate version of the bill, S. 2101 without delay. Tell them to shut down the Wall Street plan to use phony excuses that help Iran get its money back.
Call your Senators and Congressman and ask if he or she is not supporting the fallen American Marines and if they think we should send $1.6 billion to Iran instead of compensating the fallen Marines of the Beirut Barracks.
It is time for us to help our fallen heroes and their families find justice.
Support our Marines, not Iran.
Tags: beirut, families, iran, judgment, law, marines, suit, terrorism
Permalink Reply by Ralph Roshto on Full disclosure PLEASE! What is the name of the "Wall Street Firm"?
Permalink Reply by William on Mr. Roshto, I would also like to know the name of the Wall Street Firm. Thank you for asking that question.
Permalink Reply by Doug Nicholson on It may be Citibank. Here's a quote from an article by Alison Frankel on the Thomson Reuters website (see link below for full article):
"(Law firm) Salon Marrow Dyckman Newman & Broudy obtained a $2.6 billion default judgment against Iran for families of U.S. Marines killed in the 1983 bombing of their barracks in Beirut. In June 2008, the firm served Citibank with a restraining notice attempting to attach Citi-held assets of Clearstream, a Luxembourg unit of Deutsche Borse that allegedly helped Iran funnel money out of the United States. (The Wall Street Journal has reported that Citi holds $250 million in frozen Clearstream assets.)"
Permalink Reply by Debrajoe Smith-Beatty on The senators and the Banks want to line their pockets with the money.
Permalink Reply by Ronald Sorrells on BOB DOLE..........WORKS FOR WALL STREET TO "BLOCK" OUR LEGISLATION TO "CONTROL WALL STREET" !
A MAN THAT HAS DRAWN A SALARY FROM "THE PUBLIC TROUGH" FOR 40 YEARS AND NOW DRAWS A "HIGH SALARY FROM THE ADVERSARIES OF THE VERY INSTITUTION HEHAS "SWORN" TO SUPPORT ! TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY HE DRAWS A RETIREMENT FROM THE U.S. GOVERNMENT FOR THE REST OF HIS "BUREAUCRATIC" LIFE !
RECKON KANSAS IS PROUD OF THIS "NATIVE SON" ?
Ron
Permalink Reply by Jerry Harsh on I think we are all in agreement that we want to know the name of the firm. Then we can hammer the crap out of them over this and give them a virtual PR nightmare.
Permalink Reply by Roni Smith on The monies rightfully should go to the Marine families. Anything else would be Dead Wrong.
Ronisue
This is so disgusting. I told my husband a long time ago that most people go with their pocket book or wallet instead of principle. I'd rather be dead broke and have integrity than be rich and lack all right standing. My name is more important and who I am and what I say are more important than my purse!!!!!!! I would rather have a right heart and clean hands than a fat pocket book.
Permalink Reply by Jeffrey Dalton Towers on The feared effect on international finance put forth by the Wall St. firm is well founded. It is far too easy for state sponsored terrorist organizations to launder money as things now exist. A disbursement of those assets would send a clear message that such arrangments will not be tolerated.
Unfortunately, many of our so-called allies would be more than happy to finance terrorism and look the other way.
Tough call
Permalink Reply by Thomas Angle on Does Barack Obama want the families of the Marines to get the money or does he want it to go back to Iran?
He will choose to support his islamic brothers.
Permalink Reply by Laura on Can't believe this happened 29 years ago and something that should have been an immediate and easy decision is still not resolved. Disgraceful.
Permalink Reply by Ronald Sorrells on THE MARINE ON THE MAINGATE HAD HIS MAGAZINE OUT OF HIS WEAPON (BECAUSE OF ORDERS TO DO SO) or he could have killed the driver of the truck that ran the gate and drove a truckload of explosives into Marine Baracks-Beruit !
THE SAME STUPID "SHIITE" THAT KILLED MY FELLOW MARINE BROTHERS IN LEBANON ARE GETTING THEM KILLED IN THE USA, IRAQ AND AFGANISTAN !
Ron
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