US pays up for fatal Iraq blunders

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1093319,00.html

Over 10,000 claims but families must waive rights

Rory McCarthy in Baghdad
Wednesday November 26, 2003
The Guardian

The US military has paid out $1.5m (£907,000) to Iraqi civilians in response to a wave of negligence and wrongful death claims filed against American soldiers, the Guardian has learned.
Families have come forward with accounts of how American soldiers shot dead or seriously wounded unarmed Iraqi civilians with no apparent cause. In many cases their stories are confirmed by Iraqi police investigations.

Yesterday the US military in Baghdad admitted a total of $1,540,050 has been paid out up to November 12 for personal injury, death or damage to property. A total of 10,402 claims had been filed, the military said in a brief statement to the Guardian. There were no figures given for how many claims had been accepted.

"The US pays claims for personal injury, wrongful death and property damage," it said. "Payments will only be made for non-combat related activities and instances where soldiers have acted negligently or wrongfully."

Commanders make payments from their discretionary funds, rarely even admitting liability. Payouts average just a few hundred dollars and in some cases families have been asked to sign forms waiving their right to press for further compensation. In one area of south-western Baghdad, controlled by the 82nd Airborne Division, an officer said a total of $106,000 had been paid out to 176 claimants since July.

Beyond the initial payments there is little recourse for the families of the dead. No American soldier has been prosecuted for illegally killing an Iraqi civilian and commanders refuse even to count the number of civilians killed or injured by their soldiers.
<snip>
More "winning the hearts and minds" of the Iraqi citizenry.

[monobrau]

1. What law applies?

Under what legal code are they operating? What is a waiver worth when you sign your rights away to an occupational force?
Any settlement would be under duress, which is invalid under US law. I bet any constitution that comes out of our puppet government will absolve the US of any criminal activity under the occupation.

[impeach the gop]

2. Yeah, like the gambler bennett said tonight on faux

The world is safer without Saddam, and 71% Iraqis, who he forgot to mention were hog tied and gagged were so happy merka is gang banging their liberated butts, they could just whistle zip ah dee dooh dah out their ass holes. Yep
just look how safe saddam and osama what's his name are for instance. They just love being shot at. The ones wanting money for their dead are from the old bathtub party of saddams. U know how ungrateful they can be!


Puke me out the way these puss heads spin. Insults my tiny little thinking brain the way the shit flows out their mouths. Sick sick sick I tell you.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

3. Now. Tell us how you really feel. n/t

[qanda]

4. Maybe this is why Bush* is so eager

To implement tort reform. :shrug: