An Unusual Lawsuit against Iran by Jacob G. Hornberger!
(2020-01-28 at 15:49:50 )

An Unusual Lawsuit against Iran by Jacob G. Hornberger!

The Washington Post recently published an article about a lawsuit that American citizens have brought against Iran. The plaintiffs are Iraq veterans and families of veterans who suffered horrendous injuries or deaths while serving in the United States armed forces in Iraq. In their lawsuit, the plaintiffs are claiming that Iran sent roadside bombs into Iraq that wreaked massive injuries or death on United States troops.

For example, Chris Levis Humvee was torn apart by a roadside bomb that cost him both his legs. Kelli Hake and her 13-year-old son are living their lives without their husband and father, who was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq. There were thousands more like them.

It stands to reason that the plaintiffs would feel deep anger toward Iran, especially given their belief that Iran did, in fact, furnish the bombs that ended up inflicting death and injuries on United States soldiers serving in Iraq.

What is unusual, however, is that there appears to be absolutely no animus directed toward another regime. That regime is the United States government. I find the lack of ill will toward the United States government to be totally bizarre.

After all, let us not forget something important: When a nation-state invades, attacks, and occupies a country and in the process intentionally wreaks death, suffering, and destruction, there is a very high probability that people are going to get extremely angry and are going to exact vengeance by doing the same thing to the invading and occupying troops.

We should keep in mind that the United States war on Iraq was illegal under our form of government. That is because the United States Constitution, which is the higher law that we the people have imposed on the federal government, prohibits the president from waging war without a declaration of war from the United States Congress. It is undisputed that Congress never declared war on Iraq.

The United States war on Iraq was also illegal under the principles set forth by the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal. It held that nation-states do not have the authority to invade and attack other nations.

Nonetheless, knowing that an invasion and occupation would be illegal under both the United States Constitution and the principles set forth at Nuremberg, the Pentagon ordered United States forces to invade and occupy the country, knowing full well that many of them would be killed, maimed, or injured in the process.

Did an illegal United States war of aggression against Iraq justify intervention by Iran to help Iraqis throw United States occupying forces out of the country?

Of course not.

Nonetheless, everyone knows - or should know - that when one nation illegally attacks and occupies another nation, there is a high likelihood that other nation-states are going to come to the assistance of the invaded and occupied country. That is just the way the world works.

Consider, for example, when it was the Soviet Union, rather than the United States, that was the invader and occupier in Afghanistan. Guess who came to the assistance of the Afghans who were fighting to evict the Soviets from their country. That is right the United States government. It provided weaponry, including missiles, that was used to kill, maim, and injure Soviet soldiers. United States intervention was not right, but that is the way the world works.

What if those Soviet soldiers had sued the United States government for damages for the deaths and injuries caused by United States-supplied weaponry?

There is not one court in the United States that would permit such a lawsuit to proceed. Unlike the lawsuit against Iran, a lawsuit by Soviet citizens against the United States government would be summarily dismissed.

If United States officials had not ordered United States troops to invade and occupy Iraq, there never would have been any United States soldiers killed, maimed, or injured by anyone.

Why should the United States government not be joined as a defendant in that lawsuit against Iran?

If the Iranian government is not immune from liability, why should the United States government be immune from liability?

Why are the plaintiffs giving their own government a pass, both legally and morally?

Reprinted here with permission from Mr. Jacob G. Hornberger of The Future of Freedom Foundation!! Their Great Website!!