But this summer, when the POWs filed a second lawsuit to collect the money from Iraqi frozen assets, the Bush administration balked. It argued the money was needed for the reconstruction of Iraq instead. In fact, most of the money had already been shipped to Baghdad, where U.S. soldiers are handing out cash to civil servants and military pensioners. A federal court recently sided with the White House, barring the POWs from collecting. Now the White House is trying to throw out the POWs’ whole case against Iraq–a move the POWs believe will wipe their torture out of the lawbooks. (A Justice Department spokesman would not comment on the lawsuit.)
Storr and his friends say they don’t care about the money–though they’d planned to use it to start a foundation to help future POWs–but they’re bitter that the government seems so cavalier about their torture. “It’s sending the wrong message to the troops out there,” Storr says.
