Using Tort Law Against State Terror Sponsors

Re “A Crazy Quilt of Victim Compensation,� Commentary, Aug. 18: My family’s case against Iran is singled out by Judge Richard Mosk as he argues against continuing the federal law that allows terror victims to collect compensation from state sponsors of terrorism. Mosk writes that our seizure of Iranian assets is tantamount to Iran’s seizure of the American Embassy in Tehran. What he overlooks is that we act through the U.S. courts using American law, following trial and enforcement proceedings that Iran chose to ignore, whereas Iran’s takeover of our embassy was done by a mob controlled by Iran’s revolutionary apparatus.

With congressional support from Democrats and Republicans and discussions with the Clinton administration, the victims agreed to seek satisfaction of their claims from assets other than Iran’s diplomatic properties on the condition that the U.S. reimburse itself from Iranian cash under its control.

The foreign policy of the U.S. is to defeat terror and its sponsors. Ordinary citizens cannot send in the troops against those who do us harm. The ability to put terror’s sponsors out of business by making it financially painful for them to continue their activities is another weapon in America’s arsenal.

Stephen M. Flatow

West Orange, N.J.