Afghan Victims of U.S. Bombings Demand Compensation

Tehran Times online edition ^ | 02/13/02

[invaderzim]

KABUL -- Victims of the ongoing U.S. bombing campaign in Afghanistan gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Kabul Wednesday to demand compensation for their losses.

Among the victims were 21-year-old Aziz Ullah, whose left leg was sliced off by a piece of flying shrapnel, and 34-year-old Abdul Bashir, who lost "my beautiful daughter" when a bomb exploded near where she was playing in the street in October.

Orfa Abdulahmad, meanwhile, tearfully told reporters how she had lost eight members of her family when her home was hit by a wayward bomb soon after the air raids began on October 7, AFP reported.

The demands for compensation come amid a new outcry over the civilian toll of the bombing campaign.

Afghan officials have said a CIA missile strike last week in eastern Khost Province killed three poor villagers, not Al-Qaeda fighters as the Pentagon has suggested.

The victims outside the embassy on Wednesday suffered their losses during the early stage of the bombings, which are aimed at destroying the Al-Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden, the Saudi-born dissident accused of masterminding the September 11 terrorist attacks.

The U.S. government has set aside one million dollars to pay medical expenses of Afghans who have lost limbs in the bombing but the funds, to be distributed through the U.S. agency for international development, have yet to reach Afghanistan.

Marla Ruzicka, program coordinator for the global exchange non-governmental organization which is behind efforts to pressure the U.S. government to compensate victims of the bombings, called for the immediate establishment of a 20-million-dollar fund.

"The victims need homes now. Aziz Ullah needs a leg now. They can't wait months and months," she told the gathering.

Ruzicka, 25, added that 20 million dollars was less than the 30 million dollars spent each day by the U.S. government on bombing Afghanistan.

One survey carried out by a U.S. researcher said there were at least 3,767 civilian casualties between October 7 and December 6 alone. Other independent estimates have put the toll at around 1,000.

[samtheman]

So what's your point, kevlinsky? How much should each American pay for the "crime" of ousting the Taliban? What's your "settlement figure"?

[kevlinsky]

I'm not saying we should pay. I was just angry because people here started saying how ungrateful they were. Read my first post. The U.S. has killed many people in the past without paying, and thats just the way it works. However, when people start pretending that the U.S. is something it isn't, or that it is doing something that it really isn't either is when I have an issue. So while we don't have to pay for civilian casualties, we shouldn't act as if we can kill people and be surprised when they don't say "thank you."

[JamesWilson]

I know its a joke, Seamole. I saw that article earlier. Unfortunately, I suspect that might be the prize for which they're angling.

[paul51]

Yeah, we really made a mess for them. Especially when we save the whole dam country from starving to death.

[kevlinsky]

So I take it you believe that the U.S. is a bastion of peace and democracy that only cares about the people and does what is right and promotes good old-fashioned American values? Give me a break.

The U.S. is just like any other country that seeks to promote its own interests in its foreign policy. It got rid of the Taliban because the Taliban wasn't "friendly," because it needed to fight back in order to appease the American people and to show it meant business, and perhaps for oil (although I don't think the U.S. would've attacked if it wasn't for 9/11 - if it was solely for oil, the U.S. would've done something anyway and an attack would've been brewing).

When people start saying that the Afghanis should be thankful for the U.S. meddling in their country, perhaps one should think of the Afghani's perspective. After all, you are living your life, no matter how crappy it is, but the next day someone kills your family by accident for something you didn't do. Should you really be thankful? And how is that leftist? It is only realistic. The rest of the post you replied to was against an idealized view of the U.S. which is what many people seem to possess.

Someone mentioned that the U.S. is the "good guys." Its only the good guy depending upon what side you are on. Since I am living int the U.S., it would be good for me, but if you were elsewhere, your opinion might be different.

[kevlinsky]

How was it starving to death? True, they weren't in a good condition, but they weren't starving to death. I suppose those people who lost relatives in the bombings should say "Thank you for killing my wife! And I just loooove what you did to the Taliban!" True, many like that the Taliban is gone, but many of those probably would go back to the old way if they could have their loved one back.

[4TheFlag]

Want Compensation

OH WELL. JOIN THE CLUB....

SO DO WE......in A$$....PREPARE for it to be KICKED....

[paul51]

Am I hallucinating or at the time we began the action in Afgan, were there wide spread reports of pending mass starvation once the winter set in? Now that situation has been virtually eliminated.

[4TheFlag]

You, better get an asbestos suit on my man, I am too sick tonite to debate, but you WILL see the Flames coming....

[Shermy]

I smelled a rat here I've smelled before.

I recall the story about a small American group who went to Afghanistan to seek out bombing victims. Their tenor was anti-American and they appeared to have crossed the world just to agitate on this issue, a propaganda ploy because their small-minded constructs couldn't bear good news about America and the liberation of Alghanistan. Near their departure they handed to some American officer a small number of written "claims" for compensation of Afghans. I have little doubt theu urged the Afghans to sign these claims, probably preprinted. The whole exercise was lefty-narcissism. (if you recall the name of the FR thread on this subject, please tell me.)

The group that went was Global Exchange. It's founder and leader, and leader of the Afghan venture, is Medea Benjamin. She was the Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate in 2000. Medea for Senate.

I did a web search for "Marla Ruzicka". Besides pro-Castro-type activities, I found that she was the official "Fundraiser" for Medea Benjamin's Senate campaign.

The Tehran Times is one of these odd lefty/Islamist sites in Iran. I figure they picked up the info off IndyMedia or some other loony left site.

Ragtime Cowgirl's insight is correct. This demand for money is not inspired by the Afghan people. It is agitprop from the West.

[Shermy]

Respect. Much respect.

[Shermy]

Remember this thread? Relatives of Afghan war victims hand over claims

I wrote about GlobalExchange.org, "Keep an eye on this group's future propaganda."

You said at post # 8: "Thanks, Shermy. This is very good information to know!"

Well, here's some more information. I'd like to know the Tehran Times source for it.

[Shermy]

She's there in Kabul now? Wow! Global Exchange is really putting on a full front effort of narcissism, self-promotion, and anti-Americanism.

The self-important arrogance just oozes from her expression and gesture.

Keep up the good work. Make a great resource of links. Get ready to hit all media outlets that will give them time to speak out, so they are better informed about these insincere people.

[Shermy]

Keep up the good work. "Ruzicta" doesn't pop up as a name of anybody via a web search. It must be an error.