By Brigitte L. Nacos
Ten days ago, the New
York Times published a dispatch from Kabul, Afghanistan, in
which Barry Bearak and Taimoor Shah reported that seven children had been
killed during an air strike by the U.S.-led coalition on what was believed to
be both a religious compound and a hideout of Al Qaeda fighters. The
correspondents reported that “ More than 130 civilians have been killed in
airstrikes and shootings in the past six months, according to Afghan
authorities.”
Two days ago, the BBC reported on a dispute between Iraqis in al-Khalis and the U.S.over the victims of an air strike on June 22: Whereas the U.S.military announced and the news media reported that 17 al-Qaeda fighters had been killed, “villagers in largely-Shia al-Khalis say that those who died had nothing to do with al-Qaeda. They say they were local village guards trying to protect the township from exactly the kind of attack by insurgents the U.S. military says it foiled. They say that of 16 guards, 11 were killed and five others injured - two of them seriously - when U.S. helicopters fired rockets at them and then strafed them with heavy machinegun fire.”
The term “collateral damage” does not at all capture the tragedies caused by such incidents. It does not matter whether innocents are killed in terrorist strikes or by troops engaged in a “war on terrorism.” Bill Scheuer, editor of the PeaceMajority Report, writes that civilian casualties of U.S. military operations continue to rise in Iraq and Afghanistan. As the U.S. increases its current attacks in both countries, and its use of air power, this will only get worse. Scheuer points out that the “U.S.government paid $1.8M for each victim of the 9/11 attacks. That is the problem. Our lives are worth nearly 1,000 times more than theirs, in the eyes of our government.” Indeed, according to AlterNet, the value of an innocent person killed in Iraq by U.S. troops is $2,500 and that of an innocent civilian killed in Afghanistan $2,000. Or, as Walter Pincus of the Washington Post put it: “What's an Iraqi life worth? How about an Iraqi car? For the U.S. military in Iraq, it may be roughly the same.”
According to Pincus, “The Pentagon has set $2,500 as the highest individual sum that can be paid. Most death payments remain at that level, with a rough sliding scale of $1,000 for serious injury and $500 for property damage. Beginning in April of last year, payments of up to $10,000 were possible for "extraordinary cases" but only with a division commander's authorization. Despite Iraqi civilian deaths reaching tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, throughout the war, we are not talking big condolence payouts thus far. In 2005, the sums distributed in Iraq reached $21.5 million and -- with violence on the upswing -- dropped to $7.3 million last year, the GAO reported.”
Obviously, many families of the victims of “collateral damage” do not even get the modest condolence payments. It is for that reason that Scheuer suggests “a new policy, one that honors every victim of war. Imagine if we named every victim, showed every photo on the nightly news, compensated every surviving family for their loss. It would be difficult for us to maintain “business as usual” in war, or to wage war at all.”
Scott Paul of The Washington Note
seconds this suggestion. “Doing our best to identify civilian victims and
restore dignity, identity, and humanity to all sides of our military
engagements,” he writes, “will surely bring some of those costs to light.
I agree.
Dear Karen My heart goes out to you. I lost a daughter to csyitc fibrosis, I know that pain,I can not pretend to know yours. I just know that your angels, lived their perfect life. They made a difference, even though their lives here were short. You are in my prayers.I pray that you gather strength from your faith, and comfort from your loved ones. Know that everything happens in Gods time. Remember, you are loved,never alone,and always in Gods hands. M Parish retired purser NWA.
Posted by: John | March 26, 2012 at 01:03 AM