Compensate families of Iraqi civilian casualties?

I had this idea earlier.. was surprised to see this guy give the same analogy.

http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=iraq&s=easterbrook041503.1

Then there is the matter of Iraqi civilian dead. The worst estimate I’ve seen is 1,300, which may be revised up or down. That represents a small number by the standards of wide-area combat–a very small number by this standard-- but a human tragedy in every respect. U.S. and British forces tried in exemplary fashion to avoid civilian deaths, but nevertheless caused such deaths. The deaths are on our conscience since we started the fight that caused them.

As a demonstration of goodwill toward the people of Iraq, our side should pay compensation. Suppose $10,000 went to the family of each civilian killed. Too expensive, you say? If there were 1,300 Iraqi civilian dead, $10,000 for each tragedy would be about the cost of 10 naval cruise missiles. (We launched 800.) Considering the cost-no-object ordnance showered on Iraq, it would be an outrage if we didn’t pay at least a relatively small amount for those wrongly killed. If 1,300 is the number, the United States could even pay $100,000 per death [more like it.. 9/11 families got how much?] for a total expense of less than one night’s bombing during the campaign. In addition to being the right thing to do, think of the effect such payments might have on Arab public opinion <-how you sell it to heartless *******s]-- communicating that we really do care about typical Iraqis, and that, unlike Arab governments, which kill without compunction, we really do grieve over our errors.

I think this would be a step in the right direction. It will also help to simmer down the outright hostility the US faces in Iraq and around the world.

I don't disagree with compensation for the families of civilians killed. But, do you really think it would do anything at all to
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help to simmer down the outright hostility the US faces in Iraq and around the world.
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?

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Originally posted by JusticeIsBlind: *
But, do you really think it would do anything at all to help to simmer down the outright hostility the US faces in Iraq and around the world?
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No. But it would give them one less reason to hate us. Why make it easy? Compensate these families.. it is a painless, simple step. Other such simple gestures can be applied to other situations. *That
would gain us considerably more favor. Stubborness gets us nowhere. It is not appeasement to care.

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Originally posted by spoon: *
No. But it would give them one less reason to hate us. Why make it easy? Compensate these families.. it is a painless, simple step. Other such simple gestures can be applied to other situations. *That
would gain us considerably more favor. Stubborness gets us nowhere. It is not appeasement to care.
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99 reasons instead of 100.

However, families ought to be compensated. BUT, why should it be assumed that the compensation should come from the American taxpayer? In addition to people, we apparently have liberated millions of dollars (of both the American and Iraqi variety) from the clutches of first the Saddam regime and then from looters. Feel free to spread that around to worthy recipients.

I have to give you credit myvoice for always coming up trumps with half-brained ideas. You never fail to surprise me. You the American taxpayer is paying through the nose for the current war not to mention for the daily murder of Palestinian kids and yet you find it improbable to pay for the compensation of 1300 Iraqis? I think I've seen and heard it all now.

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*Originally posted by Rhia: *
I have to give you credit myvoice for always coming up trumps with half-brained ideas.

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Thanks. Medical science has established pretty conclusively that most people only use around 10% of their brains. If you give me credit for using half of mine that puts me 5 times better than most. :)

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*Originally posted by Rhia: *
You never fail to surprise me. You the American taxpayer is paying through the nose for the current war not to mention for the daily murder of Palestinian kids and yet you find it improbable to pay for the compensation of 1300 Iraqis? I think I've seen and heard it all now.
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I'm an advocate for abolishing the income tax altogether so I'm generally opposed to anything that dips into my pocket except for defense. As to paying for the current war, compared to the staggering financial losses sustained as a direct result of the attacks on 9/11, this war is a real bargain. Compared to the potential economic losses derived from future terrorist attacks in the US using WMD, this war's costs are like a single drop in a very big ocean.

As to the $4 billion sent to Israel every year, I really would have thought that they could have murdered much more than a few hundred children each year. Not much bang for that buck is there? BTW, if you had read more of my posts over the last year and a half, you'd have learned that I'm a big devotee of diverting much of that $4 billion annually to the Palestinians to build their economy and develop their infrastructure .... but only after they rid themselves of the suicide bombers and fanatic groups that still maintain a proclaimed policy for the destruction of Israel and against any negotiated peace.

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*Originally posted by myvoice: *
However, families ought to be compensated. BUT, why should it be assumed that the compensation should come from the American taxpayer? In addition to people, we apparently have liberated millions of dollars (of both the American and Iraqi variety) from the clutches of first the Saddam regime and then from looters. Feel free to spread that around to worthy recipients.
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The compensation money should come directly out of our pocket. We killed them (I know not intentionally, let's not play that), we owe their families. The money freed from Saddam's accounts belong to the Iraqis. We can't pay them with their own money. Hell, we'll make plenty in other ways related to this.. anyway, read the example in the original post.. 10 cruise missiles' worth of cash can be spared for the sake of decency.

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*Originally posted by myvoice: *

Thanks. Medical science has established pretty conclusively that most people only use around 10% of their brains. If you give me credit for using half of mine that puts me 5 times better than most. :)
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Ah well for what good it does you, it may well not have been the case. :D

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*Originally posted by myvoice: *
I'm an advocate for abolishing the income tax altogether so I'm generally opposed to anything that dips into my pocket except for defense.

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So I can presume you’re a stickler for light sabres too?

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*Originally posted by myvoice: * As to paying for the current war, compared to the staggering financial losses sustained as a direct result of the attacks on 9/11, this war is a real bargain.

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I’m not sure where you got that from but back it up with some figures as an example and I might be inclined to believe it.

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Compared to the potential economic losses derived from future terrorist attacks in the US using WMD, this war's costs are like a single drop in a very big ocean.

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If its true about this war creating more hatred and thus more 'terrorists' more likely to cause US interests greaters harm then thats your theory about potential attacks gone done the drain. In the long term this was a greater cause of economic loss than any other could ever hope to be.

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*Originally posted by myvoice: *
As to the $4 billion sent to Israel every year, I really would have thought that they could have murdered much more than a few hundred children each year. Not much bang for that buck is there? BTW, if you had read more of my posts over the last year and a half, you'd have learned that I'm a big devotee of diverting much of that $4 billion annually to the Palestinians to build their economy and develop their infrastructure .... but only after they rid themselves of the suicide bombers and fanatic groups that still maintain a proclaimed policy for the destruction of Israel and against any negotiated peace.
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So the life of a child is worth less to you than a dollar a dime?! Way to go. If truth be known to Americans over half of whom live at or below the poverty line and with in the current circumstances many losing all they've ever had, without the current censorship in place, exactly how much Israel actually gets from the US, there would be a public outcry. To that $4 billion of direct foreign aid, add a few billion more in indirect investment in the form of the military machine of the IDF all subsidised by the US, the interests accrued by having one lump sum of 'aid' in US banks which incidentally no other countries are allowed, the billions in forgiven loans and 'special grants' for projects such as 'special counter terrorism equipment' etc not to mention how the US bends over backwards to borrow billions to finance Israel adding to an already huge deficit. American taxpayers pay over $23 thousand for every single Israeli in Israel. If you are really that big a devotee of the Palestinian cause and for their economic development as you say you are then please instead of patronising us the least you can do is to pressure your congressman/woman to cut down aid to Israel which forms over a third of US foreign aid and to give at least half in equivalent to Palestinians. I'll believe you then not before and so I hope you can understand my cynicism at your claims for the Palestenian cause.

one last thing pre-conditions are not going to get you anywhere so might as well drop the pretense.

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*Originally posted by myvoice: *
If you give me credit for using half of mine that puts me 5 times better than most. :)
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:)

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only after they rid themselves of the suicide bombers and fanatic groups that still maintain a proclaimed policy for the destruction of Israel and against any negotiated peace.
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I have to agre with you, myvoice. No need for people to bash the USA, Israel and everyone else and not put the blame where it needs put. I just wonder if the Israel government will accept this intrusion. Also, will the strong Jewish lobby in the USA accept this?

I think compensating the families would be money well spent. Would never ever make up for the losses of their children, mothers or fathers.

It would only be a begininng to show that U.S. wants a better life for these people.

With the other 3/4ths of the 4 billion dollars I would like to see some good teachers and schools there. Like to see some teachers that teach positive lessons. Like to see kids reading. Learning. Like to see em teach reasoning. Math.

Like to see some hope and faith taught also in a way that makes a kid feel good. In a way that makes a kid want to have hope and faith in life.

Like to see a kid learn that his ambition isn't being wasted. Love to see some happy people there.