U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole is trying to force military officials to inform hundreds of thousands of Marine families and workers that they drank and washed in toxin-contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, The Associated Press is reporting.
Dole wants to force the secretary of the Navy to locate and notify Marines and civilians who were exposed to the water up until the mid-1980s when the base shut down contaminated wells.
The notification requirement was in an amendment she offered Wednesday to a broad military money bill before the legislation was pulled from the floor in a showdown over Iraq. The larger bill may be back as soon as September.
Government health officials have estimated as many as 1 million people may have been exposed during three decades of water contamination going back to 1957, a situation that was examined in a recent Associated Press investigation. The numbers include Marines in barracks and military families living on the sprawling Atlantic training and deployment base, as well as civilians who worked there.
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I agree with Liddy
Unfortunately, Liddy's not talking about what REALLY happened in any meaningful way. Not at all. Because this comical quote comes not in response to the corrupt war in Iraq she's supported for the past four years. Nor does it come in response to question about the gross negligence of the Bush administration in providing armored vehicles to troops on the ground. Nor does it address the stunning amount of war-profiteering that is eroding morale and readiness.
No, Liddy's not talking about any of these life and death matters. She's talking about bureaucratic bungling related to problems with the water at Camp Lejeune. And while we can all appreciate her Johnny-come-lately involvement in that important issue, her years of disregard for the health and safety of Marines on the frontlines is the thing that matters most.
The sad thing is, many of your readers will note this story and conclude that the senior Senator is actually doing something that makes a difference.