Let me ask you a question... if the Secretary of Defense breaks a law, should there be repercussions? Even if it is a "smaller" kind of law? Is a law a law or does it have to be murder before it gets someone's attention?
Let's put it this way... if there is a specific law that requires the Secretary of Defense to do something very specific, and he doesn't, what should happen to him?
I ask you that, because of
this small law:
H.R. 1588 Section 584
(a) REVIEW REQUIRED- Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall commence a review, as specified in subsection (c), of the death of Colonel James S. Sabow , United States Marine Corps, who died on January 22, 1991, at the Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro, California.
(b) FOCUS OF REVIEW- The principal focus of the review under subsection (a) shall be to determine the cause of the death of Colonel Sabow , given the medical and forensic factors associated with that death.
(c) REVIEW BY OUTSIDE EXPERTS- The Secretary of Defense shall provide that the evidence concerning the cause of the death of Colonel Sabow and the medical and forensic factors associated with that death shall be reviewed by medical and forensic experts outside the Department of Defense.
(d) REPORT- Not later than six months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a written report on the findings of the review under subsection (a). The Secretary shall include in the report (1) the Secretary's conclusions as a result of the review, including the Secretary's conclusions regarding the cause of death of Colonel Sabow , and (2) the conclusions of the experts reviewing the matter under subsection (c).
In other words, the Secretary of Defense SHALL open an independent inquiry into the death of a United States Marine officer who died in 1991.
How hard can that be? Why won't Rumsfeld appoint someone or some group to do an independent review of this man's death? Does Rumsfeld care about American soldiers or not? Which is it?
It does seem strange that Rumsfeld can't comply with this simple little bill that became a law on November 24, 2003. Yet six months have passed and still no inquiry.
I think this deserves a lot more attention, especially since the circumstances behind the death of Colonel Sabow are EXTREMELY SUSPICIOUS.
But this isn't even about Sabow, not really. It's about another government minister refusing to follow the law.
Peace
-Soj