US pays $40,000 after 15 Afghans die in raid

[Bacchus39]

Source: AP

US pays $40,000 after 15 Afghans die in raid


Associated Press Writer Jason Straziuso, Associated Press Writer – – – U.S. commanders on Tuesday traveled to a poor Afghan village and distributed $40,000 to relatives of 15 people killed in a U.S. raid, including a known militant commander. The Americans also apologized for any civilians killed in the operation.

The issue of civilian deaths is increasingly sensitive in Afghanistan, with President Hamid Karzai accusing the U.S. of killing civilians in three separate cases over the last month. Karzai has repeatedly warned the U.S. and NATO to guard against killing civilians, saying such deaths undermine his government and the international mission.

Karzai met Tuesday in the capital with relatives of some of those killed. He told the villagers he has given the U.S. and NATO one month to respond to a draft agreement that calls for increased Afghan participation in military operations.

The president said if he does not receive a U.S. or NATO response within that time, he would ask Afghans what he should do about international military operations. The statement from the presidential palace describing the meeting did not elaborate.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090127/ap_on_re_as/as_afghan_civilian_deaths;_ylt=AkbO5qruOHhAwpAbEv9rAaJvaA8F

[balantz]

1. So, let's see here. We're forced into paying for these "wars on terrorism"

and we're over there in Afghanistan hunting for the probably-long-dead bin Laden who supposedly masterminded the falling of three WTC towers on 9/11, as well as a strike on the vastly protected Pentagon.

So the military kills innocents while gunning down the "terrible terrorists" who may strike us at any moment and fell another few skyscrapers, and uses more of our money as an apology to try and pay off these poor and desperate people.

When abouts do we say that something stinks about all of this?

Oh, and the esteemed Mr. Gates says that Obama and company will be deploying even more troops there in Afghanistan this year.

[EFerrari]

2. Bet me that some of that money will go for weapons because

now these people are f'ing FURIOUS that their family got killed by the Americans?

Sometimes I think we are unteachable.

[Bacchus39]

3. well, innocent people die in war. Innocents died on Sept. 11

I have no sympathy for Al Qaeda or the Taliban, but paying a pittance for 15 deaths is embarrassing even given the relative value of the money in Afganistan.

not sure what else to do, but its still shameful.

[EFerrari]

5. It is embarrassing. We could have helped 15 people put together a business

with micro loans and been heroes instead.

I know it's going to be a while before the new president can turn around the horrible mess BushCo left him in Afghanistan. The one thing that comforts me is that Obama is a smart man, an educated and creative man and if anyone can do it, he can. But there will be these terrible incidents to deal with for a while. It's a lot easier for these motherf#ckers to start a war than it is to end one.

[Mari333]

14. the war in afghanistan is a bullshit corporate war

and it needs to end, now. the US might want to do a little soul searching as to why we are so hated in the first place.

[Sultana]

4. Their lives are worth only $40,000 a piece...

that is so low. :grr:

I'm all for hunting down terrorists but um, President Obama and his military guys need to revaluate how to handle the so-called 'war on terror'.

I don't remember Karzai speaking out this much when * was prez.

[LynnTheDem]

6. Their lives are worth $2,666.67 each.

$40,000 / 15.

Karzai did actually speak out agianst the * regime killing civs. The US "media" didn't bother reporting on it much, though. Funny, that.

[Sultana]

7. Oh fucking hell

*shakes head*

No amount of money can bring back the dead. :(

edit. thx for clearing that up :)

[EFerrari]

9. Yep. And he's gotten more and more insistent as the deaths mount.

The whore media doesn't bother with him.

[FarCenter]

17. At $2,666.67 each, all Afghanis are worth $87,302,445,127.92

[GoesTo11]

8. delete

[endarkenment]

10. Winning hearts and minds we are!

And at a bargain rate of 2,666.67 per capita, literally.

[EFerrari]

11. It makes you want to put up a site, "Still Sorry, World."

:(

[ohio2007]

12. How much is permitted under sharia law ? I doubt the Taliban pay out amounts like that to survivors

of market massacres or

the families
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=552_1201538050
of children the taliban send on missions for alla .

[Bacchus39]

15. agreed, they have no conscience or remorse just saying how ugly war is n/t

s

[LynnTheDem]

16. Well that makes everything alright then! We pay more for killing civilians.

Whew!

I feel much better now.

[Mari333]

13. Thats your tax dollars folks. nt