U.S. payoffs show no respect for Iraqi lives

catstevens · Jun 15, 2006

U.S. payoffs show no respect for Iraqi lives

6/15/2006 7:40:00 PM GMTSource

Some links were added by me.

The shocking revelations in The Boston Globe about the common practice known as “solatia” – U.S. compensation payments to families of Iraqi civilians maimed or killed in operations involving U.S. operations – raise questions about the true number of innocent civilians killed by U.S. occupation forces.
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The Globe report comes amid investigations into a series of incidents in which U.S. occupation forces killed innocent Iraqi civilians. The “solatia” practice attracted more media attention in recent weeks, with news that U.S. commanders paid about $2500 per victim to relatives of the 24 Iraqi men, women and children killed by American troops in Haditha last November.

But how often does the military use this practice?

According to Pentagon financial data, the amount of the so-called “condolence payments” distributed to Iraqi families whose loved ones were killed or injured in U.S. attacks “skyrocketed from just under $5 million in 2004 to almost $20 million last year". The payments, which come from the Commanders Emergency Response Program, range from several hundred dollars for a severed limb to a standard of $2500 for loss of life. (*yeah their lifves are so cheap it worth 2500$) The New York Times provided a city-by-city chart depicting the recent compensation payments – at least $6 million were paid in Baghdad last year. The chart also shows that the payoffs, already high, soared in January, with more than $4 million paid in that month alone. And the carnage has only increased since. The military offers no explanation on how that huge figure was paid. According to Boston Globe reporter, Bryan Bender; "If each of the payments made in 2005 was the maximum $2,500 for an Iraqi death, it would amount to 8,000 fatalities. But it's unknown exactly how many payments were made or for what amount."Bender also quoted Pentagon officials as saying that the "solatia" payments shouldn’t be seen as an admission of guilt or responsibility. However, he says that "the fourfold increase in condolence payments raises new questions about the extent to which Iraqi civilians have been the victims of U.S. firepower." Bender also notes that "some experts have said that the commanding officers who approved the Haditha condolence payments should have asked more questions about what happened that day -- and whether the Marines were responsible."The dramatic surge in the military payoffs also suggests that U.S. commanders made on-the-spot restitution far more frequently, according to congressional aides and officials familiar with a special fund at the disposal of military officers in Iraq.Although some Iraqis take the compensation money, many others refuse to accept it, viewing the cash as an insult. Earlier this month, the Knight Ridder reported on the accidental deaths of three Iraqi civilians, a woman and two men, in a U.S. training exercise in southern Baghdad. The report quoted U.S. officials as saying that the military would pay the families of the victims, with an Army captain saying that he doesn’t want to meet the relatives of the victims and give them the money. Many innocent Iraqis have been killed in U.S. raids and indiscriminate shootings by American forces since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. Although exact figures aren’t available, it is commonly believed by Iraqis that hundreds of civilians died this way. Anti-U.S. sentiments are whipped up by incidents like Haditha.

“It’s a disaster,” said Tareq al-Hashemi, Iraq’s Sunni Vice-President, who dislikes the occupation but does not want US troops to leave until the country is stable. “They are provoking all Iraqis, especially from the Arab Sunni community. They are pushing them to join the national resistance and to fight . . . Maybe some of them feel sympathetic to al-Qaeda now,” he told The Times. “The situation in western Anbar province is out of control. This happened primarily because of the behaviour of the American Army — their large-scale violation of human rights. They are killing people, hurting people, destroying towns.”
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Major abuse cases such as the scandal at the U.S.-run Abu Ghraib prison or the 2004 U.S. air strike on a wedding in western Iraq, that killed about 45 people, foster rage at American troops."May God take revenge on the Americans and those who brought them here," said the brother of a pregnant Iraqi woman killed last month by U.S. troops at a checkpoint in Samarra. "People are shocked and fed up with the Americans. People in Samarra are very angry with the Americans not only because of Haditha case but because the Americans kill people randomly, especially recently."Senator Edward M. Kennedy, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is pushing for a broader investigation into the condolence payments. "The dramatic rise in condolence payments raises many questions of accountability and process -- and serves as a warning sign for incidents like Haditha," he says. Army officials claim that the "soaltia" practice help win the hearts and minds of Iraqis affected by this disastrous war. But is it possible that these payoffs help the military feel that it closes the book on a civilian killing or massacre?
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*Peace and love*

Yours Sincerely,

Cat Stevens

Charise · Jun 15, 2006

$2500 couldn't even bury a person in the United States. How pathetic.

Logan9998 · Jun 16, 2006

My respect for this war has dropped 100 points. It is currently at -2359095839029. (I could keep spamming numbers but I'm lazy)

Politics are awesome · Jun 16, 2006

And what would y'all say if nothing was being offered?

Charise · Jun 16, 2006

Politics are awesome said:

And what would y'all say if nothing was being offered?
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You know something-military contractors along with a lot of people in the government are getting filthy fucking rich off of this war-a war that NEVER should have happened in the first place, and they can't even compensate people with enough money to bury their dead with dignity? That's just sick. You know, I fully realize that the people that unjustly persecute people can't escape their due on Judgement Day-if I didn't know that, I'd be a lot more upset than I already am.

Politics are awesome · Jun 16, 2006

So you want them to pay more money?

Not that I agree with what they're doing.... but would y'all be happy either way???

Charise · Jun 16, 2006

If they paid a LOT more money-and actually acted like they cared whether human life had been unnecessarily lost, I'd be happier. I don't see either one of those things happening.

Logan9998 · Jun 16, 2006

Hmmm, I'd be happy if they stopped killing everything. Hows that?

Charise · Jun 16, 2006

Logan9998 said:

Hmmm, I'd be happy if they stopped killing everything. Hows that?
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Yea, me too.

catstevens · Jun 16, 2006

Politics are awesome

Politics are awesome said:

So you want them to pay more money?
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Isn't about money, it is about their lives.

According to Boston Globe reporter, Bryan Bender; "If each of the payments made in 2005 was the maximum $2,500 for an Iraqi death, it would amount to 8,000 fatalities. But it's unknown exactly how many payments were made or for what amount."
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According to Pentagon financial data, the amount of the so-called “condolence payments” distributed to Iraqi families whose loved ones were killed or injured in U.S. attacks “skyrocketed from just under $5 million in 2004 to almost $20 million last year". The payments, which come from the Commanders Emergency Response Program, range from several hundred dollars for a severed limb to a standard of $2500 for loss of life
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The chart also shows that the payoffs, already high, soared in January, with more than $4 million paid in that month alone.
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*Peace and love*
Yours Sincerely,

Cat Stevens

TokeTrip · Jun 16, 2006

Charise said:

$2500 couldn't even bury a person in the United States. How pathetic.
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But it could buy someone in southeast asia.

gardener · Jun 16, 2006

I wasn't even aware of "condolence" payments. If this is true than why can't the US news report accurate figures for what they so "nicely" call "collateral" losses. Someone knows those figures.

LickHERish · Jun 16, 2006

Because the "US News" is owned by a mere handful of major corporations who have long been in collusion with the process of disenfranchising and dumbing down the population to serve the neo-liberal agenda of wealth and power concentration into the fewest possible hands.

If the public had an inkling of a fraction of what is truly happening outside their smug suburban existence and whom is truly behind most, if not all, of what is reported, the entire myth of "Americana" would be utterly destroyed.

The bandwagon-riding public doesn't want to know this and the "News" certainly has no vested interested in informing them.

Frankly the Fourth Estate ceased to be the voice of "we the people" the moment the first newspaper become a privately controlled venture.

catstevens · Jun 16, 2006

LickHERish said:

Because the "US News" is owned by a mere handful of major corporations who have long been in collusion with the process of disenfranchising and dumbing down the population to serve the neo-liberal agenda of wealth and power concentration into the fewest possible hands.
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LickHERish said:

If the public had an inkling of a fraction of what is truly happening outside their smug suburban existence and whom is truly behind most, if not all, of what is reported, the entire myth of "Americana" would be utterly destroyed.
The bandwagon-riding public doesn't want to know this and the "News" certainly has no vested interested in informing them.Frankly the Fourth Estate ceased to be the voice of "we the people" the moment the first newspaper become a privately controlled venture.
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That's why I read newspapers from the middle-east, they are a lot, and free on line =)
*Peace and love*
Yours Sincerely,
Cat Stevens

gardener · Jun 17, 2006

I am an American and I want the true figures and authentic reporting.

TokeTrip · Jun 17, 2006

What is your solution? Don't just complain, offer an alternative.

EDIT: Directed at the OP.

gardener · Jun 17, 2006

Accurate figures and true reporting, isn't that a valid query to a true solution?

YEM36313 · Jun 22, 2006

gardener, its true that this news should be avilable to us, and it is valid that you want it offered, but Catstevens is right too, because he is saying that you need to find what is available, read the material, take it for what it is, and spread the word. The word only spreads if you have the knowledge to obtain it. Once you read it, and you find it informative and accurate, then you can either tell people about your source, or you can begin talking to people about what you read...etc.

The point is, that if you want something to change, then change it. If you want the info, its out there. Then you too can give the truth to others.

i don't mean to sound harsh at all, its just that i begun to realize that if everyone just pitched in in a small way, then it would amount to a bigger picture. Reading a foreign newspaper may sound "different" to you, but why would it be so bad? Is it going to hurt you? Could it POSSIBLY help you obtain something? Just rationalize it...

For Americans to be told the truth, they have to have the power to speak it and to teach eachother. the power, my friend, unfortunately doesn't lye with the people...we have to take it back, and for that to happen, we must DO. We must SEEK. Seeking the truth may be the greatest gift you can give this world, gardener.

Peace and love,

catstevens · Jun 22, 2006

YEM36313 said:

gardener, its true that this news should be avilable to us, and it is valid that you want it offered, but Catstevens is right too, because he is saying that you need to find what is available, read the material, take it for what it is, and spread the word. The word only spreads if you have the knowledge to obtain it. Once you read it, and you find it informative and accurate, then you can either tell people about your source, or you can begin talking to people about what you read...etc.
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YEM36313 said:

The point is, that if you want something to change, then change it. If you want the info, its out there. Then you too can give the truth to others.

i don't mean to sound harsh at all, its just that i begun to realize that if everyone just pitched in in a small way, then it would amount to a bigger picture. Reading a foreign newspaper may sound "different" to you, but why would it be so bad? Is it going to hurt you? Could it POSSIBLY help you obtain something? Just rationalize it...

For Americans to be told the truth, they have to have the power to speak it and to teach eachother. the power, my friend, unfortunately doesn't lye with the people...we have to take it back, and for that to happen, we must DO. We must SEEK. Seeking the truth may be the greatest gift you can give this world, gardener.

Peace and love,
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Masha'Allah , Completely agreed, Myself I read the news from the both (middle East & West) All are available on line (Free) you can do the same. And as I said before: E-forums are blessings, everybody can share an info or news, others can refute it, or give you more details about it, explanations, this is indeed a ablessing and sometimes an easy way to reach the truth .

*Peace and love*
Yours Sincerely,
Cat Stevens

gardener · Jun 25, 2006

YEM36313 said:

gardener, its true that this news should be avilable to us, and it is valid that you want it offered, but Catstevens is right too, because he is saying that you need to find what is available, read the material, take it for what it is, and spread the word. The word only spreads if you have the knowledge to obtain it. Once you read it, and you find it informative and accurate, then you can either tell people about your source, or you can begin talking to people about what you read...etc.

The point is, that if you want something to change, then change it. If you want the info, its out there. Then you too can give the truth to others.

i don't mean to sound harsh at all, its just that i begun to realize that if everyone just pitched in in a small way, then it would amount to a bigger picture. Reading a foreign newspaper may sound "different" to you, but why would it be so bad? Is it going to hurt you? Could it POSSIBLY help you obtain something? Just rationalize it...

For Americans to be told the truth, they have to have the power to speak it and to teach eachother. the power, my friend, unfortunately doesn't lye with the people...we have to take it back, and for that to happen, we must DO. We must SEEK. Seeking the truth may be the greatest gift you can give this world, gardener.

Peace and love,
Click to expand...

Actually I do follow the foreign press, I guess I was just trying to phrase a hypothetical for those that don't. And lately it's hard in the States to talk openly. It actually does feel like you are being watched and reported on by your neighbors. That doesn't totally shut me up, but I have found that I am a lot more careful about how and where I state my views.

I was born in 1950, I never thought I would have to fear about what I had to say or who I talked to, but things have changed in the last 8 years. That is the saddest part of all this.

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U.S. payoffs show no respect for Iraqi lives

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U.S. payoffs show no respect for Iraqi lives

catstevens Muslim Top To Toe

Charise Naked to the Cosmos

Logan9998 Member

Politics are awesome Politics suck

Charise Naked to the Cosmos

Politics are awesome Politics suck

Charise Naked to the Cosmos

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Charise Naked to the Cosmos

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gardener Realistic Humanist

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