Over the years the families and friends of missing American servicemen from past conflicts have struggled to get truthful information about what happened to these men. More than 10,000 men from the Korean, Vietnam and Cold Wars did not just disappear. Something happened to them, and the governments into whose control they fell, dead or alive, should be held accountable. Few would argue with that premise, at least not openly. With a growing body of evidence that men were held back alive after each of these conflicts, and with POWs of other nationalities making their way out of captivity after decades, we cannot just presume that all of the missing Americans died in battle or in POW camps.

Unfortunately, although the issue is officially labelled as a humanitarian one, in reality it is very political. It is impacted by foreign policy decisions, economic agendas, trade and many other concerns. Requests for information about men who disappeared more than forty years ago are routinely denied on the basis of national security and privacy. Government officials at the highest levels ignore the issue in their speeches and separate it out from policy decisions. More than a few questions have been raised about hypocrisy and dishonesty on the part of many officials who have been in positions of trust on this issue. The tales of run-around, frustration, and avoidance abound.

Right now it is politically correct to clamor for the release of the three American POWs in Kosovo....as well it should be. What will happen if these men are not released when the conflict is over, and if the Serbs just start denying that they have any information about them? When years and decades have past and the social memory has faded; when it better suits our politicians to ignore the ugly truth and move on to what they see as more pressing agendas? That is what happened with the men who were not accounted for after Korea, Vietnam and the Cold War. They were once a politically beneficial issue, too. There was much grandstanding in Washington; many demands for their return; but not anymore.

A case in point: Senator John McCain, himself a former POW, is all over the many media outlets in the country right now, making political hay out of his status as a former prisoner. He has poised himself as the de facto expert on POWs and says all the right things at this time of heightened emotion for the three current POWs. Through his seemingly countless television performances, has anyone heard him mention the more than 10,000 men who remain unaccounted for from other wars? Indeed, no. Not only does he fail to mention them, but he is regarded by many in Congress as an obstacle to overcome in trying to pass legislation that would promote a better and more complete accounting for these men. Senator McCain is not the only government official whose conduct smacks of hypocrisy. Such conduct debilitates the accounting effort.

The only way to effectively move the accounting process along for the men whose undetermined fates are not politically popular is to require certain actions by law. The piecemeal legislation that currently exists leaves gaping holes and much confusion. It also allows politics to control the effort. It is abundantly clear by now that the hard questions about men being held back alive will not be seriously pressed into United States policy with the governments involved unless the laws and priorities in Washington change.

Senator Bob Smith (R-NH) has announced that he will introduce legislation this year that will comprehensively address the collective problems that infect the process of accounting for missing American servicemen. Senator Smith will call this new legislation the POW/MIA Full Disclosure And Accounting Act of 1999. The legislation will attempt to deal with this country's failure to account for its missing servicemen by recognizing and compensating for the inadequacies that have shown themselves over the years.

On behalf of Senator Smith, his senior aide on POW/MIA affairs...Dino Carluccio...recently addressed the American Legion on the need for comprehensive legislation. Mr. Carluccio's remarks are a telling summary of some of the difficulties and improprieties that linger in the accounting process. They also outline some of the areas the proposed legislation will address. It is unfortunate that we have to pass laws and force officials to do what should have been done a long time ago, but that is the reality. Remains recovery is only part of the picture. Diplomatic requests for information, that are stubbornly denied for years with responses that defy common sense, will not account for our men. These efforts have been insufficient and time is running short.

The Coalition will be working with Senator Smith and his staff to make sure that they are aware of all the problems the families have encountered over the years. When the legislation is before Congress, it will need the support of the entire POW/MIA community.

Click Here the read the recent address to the American Legion on the need for legislation, on behalf of Senator Smith, by his senior aide on POW/MIA affairs...Dino Carluccio.