Do you remember the 52?

November 4, 1979, to January 20, 1981

52 Americans were held hostage by Iranian Student and Militants after the Iranian Revolution deposing the Shah of Iran.

Four Hundred and Forty Four days.

Our people were held, tortured and abused. 

And Jimmy Carter at first attempted to appease the Iranians and negotiate.  Then when that didn't work he authorized a military rescue mission.

Considering how severely the US Military had been cut down after the Vietnam War and all through President Carters administration, I'm surprised that there weren't more deaths involved in the accident that destroyed two aircraft and took the lives of 8 US Servicemen.

That mission has been thought of as one of the main reasons that Jimmy Carter lost his bid for re-election.

That ignores the rest of the story.  The high interest rates, the fuel shortages, the inflation, the high unemployment.

But this post isn't about Jimmy Carter.  Or at least it isn't mostly about him.

It's about the 52 Americans who were held hostage.

And how they still seek justice from the Iranian government for what happened to them.

"The hostages were among the first victims of Islamic terrorism -- yet unlike subsequent victims, they have never received the satisfaction of a court judgment against a state sponsor of terrorism, or financial compensation drawn from its assets. For decades they have tried and failed to navigate a web of conflicting legal opinions, court reversals, and changing terrorism policies. And for decades they have been thwarted by the 1981 Algiers Accords, in which Iran agreed to release the hostages and President Carter agreed to bar lawsuits by them and their families. One Congress after another has been unable or unwilling to surmount presidential administrations and court rulings that have kept the accords in force.The Supreme Court last year ended the possibility of suing under current law, leaving Congress to find a solution."

Read that story.  Jimmy Carter signed away the rights for those 52 hostages to seek redress from the Iranian Government.  Who gave him that authority?  To sign away the rights of American Citizens?

And why hasn't Congress done something to correct that travesty of justice?

When will the 52 receive Justice?