An Iowan who’s been key in trying to locate American soldiers who are missing in action has mixed feelings over reports from the Persian Gulf. Senator Chuck Grassley is unsure what to make of reports a U-S Navy pilot has been held prisoner in Iraq since the first day of the air war in 1991. Grassley says there’s a lot of evidence the pilot could be alive. Grassley though asks the question as to why the evidence is suddenly coming up as the U-S tries to build a case against Iraq.Grassley says it’d be “one more reason to go after Saddam Hussein” as the U-S did when Americans were held hostage by Iraq’s neighbor, Iran, more than 20 years ago. Commander Scott Speicher was the first American lost in Gulf War action and is the only one still unaccounted for. His status is officially “missing” as no human remains were found in the wreckage of his F-A-18 Hornet, which was shot down January 19th, 1991. Grassley says he hopes Speicher is alive and that we can get him out of Iraq.Grassley has served on Congress’ P-O-W/M-I-A Committee and says he’s still angered by things he learned in serving on the panel. He says there’s evidence we left prisoners of war behind in Vietnam.The Washington Post reports the government has received new information about Speicher, a native of Jacksonville, Florida. Senator Pat Roberts, a republican from Kansas, wants the fighter pilot’s status changed to “prisoner of war” on the possibility he was captured and is still alive.
