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Afghanistan
Afghans: US paid $50,000 per shooting spree death
2012-03-26
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) - The United States has paid $50,000 in compensation for each Afghan killed in the shooting spree attributed to a U.S. soldier in southern Afghanistan, an Afghan official and a community elder said Sunday.

The families of the dead received the money Saturday at the governor's office, said Kandahar provincial council member Agha Lalai. Each wounded person received $11,000, Lalai said. Community elder Jan Agha confirmed the same figures. They were told that the money came from U.S. President Barack Obama, Lalai said.

A U.S. official confirmed that compensation had been paid but declined to discuss exact amounts, saying only that it reflected the devastating nature of the incident. The official spoke anonymously because of the sensitive nature of the subject.

A spokesman for NATO and U.S. forces declined to confirm or deny the payments, saying that while coalition members often make compensation payments, they are usually kept private.

"As the settlement of claims is in most cases a sensitive topic for those who have suffered loss, it is usually a matter of agreement that the terms of the settlement remain confidential," Lt. Col. Jimmie Cummings said.

Staff Sgt. Robert Bales is accused of sneaking out of his base before dawn on March 11 then creeping into houses in two nearby villages and opening fire on sleeping families within.

It was not immediately clear how much money had been paid out in all. Afghan officials and villagers have counted 16 dead - 12 in the village of Balandi and four in neighboring Alkozai - and six wounded. The U.S. military has charged Bales with 17 murders without explaining the discrepancy.
Posted by:Steve White

#8  Let us just suppose for the sake of argument that the presumption of innocense prevails and someone else (not SSG Bales) is found to have murdered those civilians.

Will the sharia blood money payments be reimbursed to the US taxpayers?
Posted by: Besoeker   2012-03-26 19:19  

#7  ...I'm sure there are lawyers who'd find some distant relatives.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2012-03-26 13:58  

#6  I can't help wondering, being of a numerical bent, what it would cost to do the whole country (yeah, it's mean. I know) So $50K times 30 million Afghans... carry the one...hmmm, I wonder if we could get a group discount? I note without comment that if we whacked *everyone*, there would be no one left to pay reparations to.
Posted by: SteveS   2012-03-26 13:41  

#5  Now the families will have to sleep with their eyes open.
Posted by: gorb   2012-03-26 12:57  

#4  Smells like sharia penalization before trial

Tribal custom. Don't get your panties in a wad.
Posted by: Pappy   2012-03-26 12:33  

#3   They were told that the money came from U.S. President Barack Obama 's stash, Lalai said.

they will also be allowed to vote for him in Novemeber
Posted by: Frank G   2012-03-26 09:43  

#2  What is the Karzai gov't cut on the victim payments?
Posted by: Glenmore   2012-03-26 06:12  

#1  But is he guilty? Smells like sharia penalization before trial. OF course, BHO likes sharia. He gained so much from daddy's recitation of 3 talaqs. What a culture: spouse and child abandonment meets approval of the god entity of those savages. Give them a fart with a lump in it.
Posted by: Lionel Floluth9408   2012-03-26 02:33  

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