U.S. court struggles over Iran bank's bid to block payout to attack victims

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

US | Wed Jan 13, 2016 12:51pm EST

U.S. court struggles over Iran bank's bid to block payout to attack victims

WASHINGTON | BY LAWRENCE HURLEY

The Supreme Court's chief justice on Wednesday expressed strong concern about a U.S. law that virtually dictated to courts that nearly $2 billion in frozen Iranian funds be turned over to families of Americans killed in attacks blamed on Iran, while other justices signaled support for the victims.

The court heard an appeal brought by Bank Markazi, Iran's central bank, contesting a 2014 lower-court ruling that stated the money should be handed over to plaintiffs representing hundreds of Americans killed or injured in the 1983 bombing of a U.S. Marine Corps barracks in Beirut and other attacks.

Chief Justice John Roberts, seizing on an argument made by Bank Markazi, appeared troubled by the U.S. Congress improperly dictating the outcome of legal disputes by passing a 2012 law specifically relating to this case to help the families obtain the money.

During a one-hour oral argument in a case that comes before the top U.S. court at a delicate time in U.S.-Iranian relations, Roberts used the analogy of a "strongman" leader of a foreign country calling the judiciary to tell judges how to rule.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-iran-idUSKCN0UR2FD20160113

[EdwardBernays]

1. Imagine

If Iran could get paid for all the Iranians Americans have killed or helped kill.

After we shot down an Iranian civilian jet carrying dozens of women and children, we fought paying any restitution for 5 years. Then when we did pay we did so only on the condition that we didn't have to apologize. For killing almost 300 civilians.

And of course that's just the tip of the iceberg.