State Department's Embrace of Libya has Precedent for Cuba, Other Countries

    MT. PLEASANT, S.C., July 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a brazen
 disregard for the precedent of international law, the U.S. State Department
 has submitted a legislative proposal to Congress to partially "resolve"
 claims by terrorism victims against Libya with no acknowledgement of
 responsibility and dismissing the claims of a vast number of plaintiffs
 with legal standing in U.S. courts. The unvetted proposal that passed the
 U.S. Senate today and is now in the U.S. House of Representatives settles
 some of the U.S. residents' claims, throws out the claims of non-U.S.
 residents (who have standing under the Alien Tort Statute), and then
 completely immunizes Libya against existing and future lawsuits,
 attachments, and liens. It even goes so far as to ensure that Libya, under
 law, is treated like any other state that never practiced terrorism.
 
     Such a proposal, if enacted, would set precedent for future State
 Department proposals to immunize any government now on the "state sponsors"
 list, especially Cuba, but also Syria, Iran, Sudan, and North Korea,
 against similar actions brought by victims of their state-sponsored
 terrorism, whether residing in the U.S. or overseas. If passed, this will
 be the first time that Congress has created a law to aid a state sponsor of
 terrorism by immunizing them from litigation -- all done without any debate
 in secret back-room deals. This bill undermines the very laws Congress
 enacted to provide victims with redress through the U.S. Court system.
 
     This precedent setting legislation calls for a public debate on the
 bill's impacts - in an open forum with public input and open press
 scrutiny. I encourage all interested parties to call or email your U.S.
 Representative today and say no immunity for Libya without an open
 discussion.
 
 
 

SOURCE Motley Rice LLC