What’s an Iraqi life worth?
By on Jun 18th, 2007 at 10:22 am
What’s an Iraqi life worth?
“For the U.S. military in Iraq, it may be roughly the same” as an Iraqi car. A recent Government Accountability Report finds that the Pentagon “has set $2,500 as the highest individual sum that can be paid” to Iraqi civilians killed “as a result of U.S. and coalition forces’ actions during combat.” “Most death payments remain at that level, with a rough sliding scale of $1,000 for serious injury and $500 for property damage.”
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good thing iraqi oil is paying for it…..
June 18th, 2007 at 10:25 amThe arrogance of these murderers never ceases to amaze me.
To us, they tell us that they don’t really count civilian casualties - then they eventually do, but discount anything that shows high numbers.
Now, this government and it’s field agents are paying blood money. I agree that restitution must be made, but it can only be made once the killing is ended, which needs to be now!
Some follow up reading:
“Collateral Damage is Murder”
June 18th, 2007 at 10:29 amhttp://www.populistamerica.com/collateral_damage_is_murder
$2500 fo a car? Yeah, a 1973 Pinto.
June 18th, 2007 at 10:31 amIs this the “Red Book” valuation guide for used Iraqis?
June 18th, 2007 at 10:35 amWell thank goodness we’re keeping our costs down. We wouldn’t want to go into the red fighting this war, would we?
June 18th, 2007 at 10:40 amWhat have you contributed to Mike Gravels Campaign today?
GRAVEL08.us
June 18th, 2007 at 10:40 amThis is just another example of the parrells between this war and Viet Nam. Back in the day it was cheaper to run over a Viet Namese that to kill the families water buffalo. The only difference is that now its a Toyota pickup.
June 18th, 2007 at 10:41 amfootsore
Jesus H Christ, that’s disgusting.
June 18th, 2007 at 10:54 amThis is really sick and Bush Regime are criminal disgusting whores.
June 18th, 2007 at 10:55 amIn order to keep costs down, the Pentagon is asking Americans to ’sponsor an Iraqi’. If your Iraqi gets killed, you donate $2500 to his family.
C’mon America. What’s Democracy in the Middle East and Freedom worth to you?
June 18th, 2007 at 10:57 amWhat’s really weird here is that it probably costs the US military far more to kill an Iraqi than they’re willing to cough up for having killed that same individual. W/ costs going up and up and up, we have to save money somewhere. We wouldn’t want those dollars to come out of Cheneyburton’s end of the deal now, would we?
June 18th, 2007 at 11:02 amJay - caustically funny. Very sick. But strangely believable. I can see Paul Wolfowitz in the Sally Struthers role…
June 18th, 2007 at 11:03 amAnd while you’re at it, don’t forget to say a prayer for poor Scooter Libby, unjustly convicted of a crime he never committed…
June 18th, 2007 at 11:04 amThey obviously need to save the money for more bullets.
June 18th, 2007 at 11:18 amIs there any chance we can have Scooter serve his time at Abu Grav?
June 18th, 2007 at 11:20 amThe cost for the Iraq war $1 billion a month…
June 18th, 2007 at 11:58 amThe cost to pay for “collateral damage” $2500…
The cost for spreading “democracy” in Iraq…..Priceless
Is there any chance we can have Scooter serve his time at Abu Grav?
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — June 18, 2007 @ 11:20 am
No, Libs. He will be pardoned, thus saith the Lord.
June 18th, 2007 at 12:08 pmDaryll
Seriously, how can you post something that speaks for God about a possible pardon for Libby? And what if Libby is not pardon - will you explain that away with another prophetic message?
June 18th, 2007 at 12:24 pmHey St Darryl, quick there’s an atheist Republican on the Dick Cheney thread - savage-ah him for the glory-ah of Jesus Christ-ah. Purge the flock St Darryl, purge the flock!
June 18th, 2007 at 12:40 pmAl-’Arabiya reported that the relatives of ‘Abeer al-Janabi, who was raped by US soldiers and killed — along with three family members – have refused to accept a financial compensation that was offered to them by the US Army. Al-’Arabiya spoke to the mayor of the village in which the uncles of the 16-year-old victim reside. According to the mayor, the paternal and maternal uncles of al-Janabi have rejected a $100,000 payment that was presented to them by an American officer. The relatives told the US officer that “their main compensation” would be “to witness the execution of the accused soldiers” — on television, “in the same fashion as Saddam Husain’s execution,†the mayor added.
The mayor also told al-’Arabiya that the relatives of al-Janabi insist on not repairing or rebuilding the family house, in which the crime occurred, “so that the home remains a testament to the criminality and savagery of the American forces.â€
A man with morals and a new shrine to forever remember the RAPE
http://www.iraqslogger.com/ index.php/ post/ 3234/ IraqiArab_Papers_Monday_Sadr_Attacks_Iran
June 18th, 2007 at 12:55 pmWhat a deal! How can a parent pass that up, weighing the options in each hand — hmm, $2,500 or the life of my child? hmmm. Which shall I choose? Or, hmm, $500 cash, or my house? Hmm.
June 18th, 2007 at 2:12 pmWhat an insult!!
Why do people around the world condemn our arrogance? We are the Ugly American.
Aha. So human life does have a value after all. If an Iraqi is worth $2,500 how much is an Iranian worth? Or a Saudi Arabian? Or a Jew? Bet they’re not the same. I’m sure it’s a “sliding†scale. You can’t even bury anybody for $2,500 in this country.
June 18th, 2007 at 2:47 pmSorry, should have said Israeli instead of Jew. My bad.
June 18th, 2007 at 2:48 pmWhat are you after ?
June 19th, 2007 at 7:07 amSomebody to drop by his campaign headquarters and stare at him in a spooky fashion for a few minutes ?
That would be the point you are missing.
June 19th, 2007 at 7:10 amThat US$2500 buys you a certain amount in the US and a certain shitload more in Iraq.
And yet some people still wonder why middle-easterners hate the US…
jenny
June 19th, 2007 at 9:35 amhttp://www.spaml.com
Wow! You all make a big deal over the US paying Iraqis for those that are killed yet you say nothing of the insurgence paying $500 (a years wages) to an Iraqi to set off a road side bomb? I’m glad you all think that we kill them for fun. Until you have been there and done it shut your fu**ing mouth, because no one pays us for the stuff that we care and the stuff that eats away at us for the rest of our lives.
June 19th, 2007 at 9:42 amIm sorry, but the average family per capita income (of the employed) was $225 per year in 2003. $2500 dollars is more than your average Iraqi can even conceptualize.
As to us being bloodthirsty murderers. Wow. Name another conflict in history where the invading force compensated collateral damage at ALL.
Name another conflict where the NON-OCCUPATIONAL force acted as a stabilizing one?
The fact of the matter is, that at this moment the greatest hope a family has for a future in Iraq is to have a family member lost as collateral damage.
We are trying to CHANGE that. That is why we are still there.
June 19th, 2007 at 10:56 amJason C:
what?
I’ve read over your post like 4 times and it still makes no sense.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:01 amCtrl:
You’re missing the point. bad. And I don’t think you have ANY idea why we’re “still here.” None of us really do. And they aren’t telling. Because if they told you it was for the consolidation of global military power, oil, and wealth, you probably wouldn’t support it. But, the propaganda artists in Washington have their sheep believe it’s for some “noble” cause, like freedom. HAH.
FACT: 6% of the pre-war Iraqi population is DEAD
FACT: the massive amount of Depleted Uranium used in Iraq has sent radiation levels, and cancer rates SKYROCKETING
FACT: (little known) US forces used a NEUTRON BOMB on Iraqi soldiers when taking the Baghdad Airport.
our hands are covered in blood. we have committed genocide.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:10 amSmall people talking does not make a difference.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:24 amWhy are we paying them anything in the first place? This is WAR, has anyone forgotten about that? Just cover the bullets in pig fat and we’re golden. But, no wait, your stay-at-home mom wouldn’t approve.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:26 ameveryone*, not anyone*… :-P
June 19th, 2007 at 11:27 amPimp, I am not missing the point, you are. You are also not discussing the issue here at all, which is the fact that we are PAYING for collateral damage in wartime, which is completely unprecidented.
As to your presumption of my understanding of something you admittedly don’t… How the hell does that work. “I don’t get it so you cant either.” I explained it. If you don’t understand it, it is because you choose not to. Either we are spending billions on this war, or we are making billions on this war “stealing oil”. You cant have it both ways. Pick something to complain about and stick with it. Please demonstrate for me how we are making money on this deal? Show me the money. Show me how PROFIT is our MOTIVATION here. Don’t give me supposition or conspiracy theory. SHOW ME THE MONEY.
Fact, we are LOSING BILLIONS on this war monthly.
Fact, more innocent civilians were being slaughtered by the bathist party before the invasion than have become casualties of the invasion. There is a net GAIN of life in removing the administration that butchered its own people with a savagry I care not to even explore here. Where was your bleeding heart for the innocent Iraqis in 2000 when the innocent death toll under saddam was estimated at 1.3 million (over 23 years averages over 56,000 dead per year)? You self absorbed prat. http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ Human_rights_in_Saddam_Hussein’s_Iraq
Fact: You make up facts. DU has not made ANY hotspots, nor is the cancer rate skyrocketing. What is skyrocketing is medical technology and number of hospitals. The entire world is watching us, including the UAE. If we were irradiating places there would be no way to cover it up you tin foil hat wearing conspiracist.
Fact: You have no idea what a fact is… what you are doing is spreading things you have heard and want to believe. We have no need to use neutron bombs, and considering we THEN went immediately in and physically occupied control of the airport, it would be pretty stupid to use a nuclear device dontcha think? Or do you think at all?
June 19th, 2007 at 12:45 pmI can’t believe you people are complaining about the fact that we are giving Iraqi civilians a decades worth of income if they accidentally become casualties of a war that IS freeing them.
Our soldiers families certainly don’t get 10 years worth of income when they fall… but by all means, call them murderers. They die for your right to do so, whether you get it or not..
June 19th, 2007 at 1:16 pmwhile i take Pimp’s facts with a grain of salt, I cannot foresee your attacks against human reason and intelligence.
First of all:”the fact that we are PAYING for collateral damage in wartime, which is completely unprecedented.” WTF? what if the families of those killed by US soldiers simply refuse payments? What then? you just say: hey, we killed your folks, if you don’t take the money then screw you, we’re Americans and we can do what we want, whether you like it or not?What if an Iraqi soldier would now murder your mom, sister or son, then give you money in compensation saying “they were war casualties”? Would YOU accept the payment? Did you even have the curiosity of reading Toby Tall’s linked article about what the family of the raped and murdered Iraqi girl said about American soldiers? It’s that simple:put your ass into an Iraqi’s shoes and see how would YOU react when it comes to accept payments for the “accidental” death of your beloved ones…
And the fact that you admit “we are LOSING BILLIONS on this war monthly” should enrage you even more, because after all it’s YOUR money too…and that money is spent on killing rather than saving. In this context I find it odd that you did not contradict Pimp’s statistics about the number of people who died after the war burst…don’t those lives matter to you?
And who are YOU to choose what’s good or bad for Iraqis? If you are so preoccupied about the lives of those living under oppressive regimes, why didn’t you or the US Army invade Russia during communism (which btw, was the same period when Saddam was butchering 1.3 million people)? How about comparing that number of Iraqi victims to the 20 million registered only during Stalin’s rule? Or why don’t you invade China now? They have oppressive regime there too….Or Colombia? Or Iran? They ALL “need your help to be saved from their leaders”…I cannot believe my eyes reading your post “we are giving Iraqi civilians a decades worth of income if they accidentally become casualties of a war that IS freeing them.”
Who the hell told you Iraq needed YOUR specific salvation? What gives you the right to choose the destiny of a single man (albeit an entire people) based on your own judgments? Are those judgments completely flawless? Is your idea of freedom perfect? Are you living a perfect freedom in America?
And if the Iraqi people don’t worship your McDonald’s fattened asses because you are killing, torturing, raping and humiliating their relatives, that means they are all stupid and must be imprisoned for having a different opinion? Perhaps in Abu Ghraib, for some special moments of humiliation?
“They die for your right to do so, whether you get it or not..” How exactly do they die? In friendly fire, killed by their own comrades, like in Pat Tillman’s masquerade?
Go to hell, that’s all I can say to a guy who feels no remorse in seeing an innocent child murdered “in the name of freedom”…I wonder, what freedom will that child enjoy in his grave…
June 19th, 2007 at 5:04 pmInvade Soviet Russia?…
Did you ever, even once, sit in on a Western Civ. course? The U.S.S.R. had a comparable nuclear arsenal to ours (most sources now say it was larger than ours). Much of the cold war was also under appeasement oriented U.S. Presidents. It took Ronald Reagan to take action and solve the problem, and he did so brilliantly. Saddam made no attempt to disprove our accusations that he had WMD’s, and he was clearly hostile to the U.S. and our allies. The evidence still shows that he HAD them, and all the “no wmd’s” spin in the media is just a way to spin the fact that we gave him plenty of time to disburse them among those who could more stealthily deploy them. Hell, we found MIG-29s buried in the Iraqi desert! All the evidence, and all the major Democrat leaders, said that Saddam was the most imminent threat to U.S. security at the time.
The issue about the rape is a separate, criminal issue, and those guys should be dealt with accordingly. The ultimate issue here is the paying of families for collateral damage in the course of our operations specifically intended to curtail the insurgency.
June 19th, 2007 at 9:12 pm