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`We need to do what's right' on Afghan civilian casualties, says House delegation leader
Wed Apr 3, 8:22 AM ET
By CHARLES J. HANLEY, AP Special Correspondent
KABUL, Afghanistan - The U.S. government should "do what's right" and consider compensating Afghans who lost family members in misdirected American bombings in the war that toppled the Taliban, the head of a U.S. congressional delegation said Wednesday.
"We should take those claims seriously," Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a California Republican, told a news conference as his delegation wrapped up a one-day visit to Afghanistan (news - web sites).
The nine congressmen, who met with interim national leader Hamid Karzai and other Afghan officials, emphasized what they said was a pressing need to follow up U.S. military successes in Afghanistan with generous economic aid.
"Chairman Karzai stressed to us the need for the United States to continue its commitment in terms of assistance," said Rep. Marty Meehan, a Massachusetts Democrat.
Four months after the heaviest U.S. air bombardments of the anti-Taliban war, some Afghan officials and non-governmental organizations have begun pressing for consideration of compensation claims.
Estimates of civilians killed in the war range from several hundred into the thousands. No authoritative count has been made.
The government of one province alone, Kandahar, has filed more than 70 compensation cases with the central government. Four involved multiple deaths in Kandahar villages cause by U.S. bombing, and the rest were cases of single deaths or limited damage, provincial officials said. A spokesman for the U.S. Central Command has said he is unaware of any process for such claims to be made against the U.S. military.
Asked about the possibility of compensation, Rohrabacher told reporters, "In every warlike situation, mistakes are made" and "decent and honest people admit mistakes were made and make reparation."
Rohrabacher, a senior member of the House International Relations Committee, later was asked what process might be put in place. "We will support it in Congress as a legitimate cost of doing business," that is, waging war, he told The Associated Press. "We need to do what's right for the people of Afghanistan. We're not trying to hide from the facts."
On the same subject, Meehan, a member of the Armed Services Committee, said he believed the U.S. government would routinely review such cases of civilian casualties.
The delegation also included Reps. Jim Gibbons, a Nevada Republican; Todd Platts, a Pennsylvania Republican; Edward L. Schrock, a Virginia Republican; Silvestre Reyes, a Texas Democrat; Jeff Miller, a Florida Republican; Bill Shuster, a Pennsylvania Republican; and Adam Schiff, a California Democrat.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...03/ap_wo_en_ge/afghan_congressmen_2&printer=1
Wed Apr 3, 8:22 AM ET
By CHARLES J. HANLEY, AP Special Correspondent
KABUL, Afghanistan - The U.S. government should "do what's right" and consider compensating Afghans who lost family members in misdirected American bombings in the war that toppled the Taliban, the head of a U.S. congressional delegation said Wednesday.
"We should take those claims seriously," Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a California Republican, told a news conference as his delegation wrapped up a one-day visit to Afghanistan (news - web sites).
The nine congressmen, who met with interim national leader Hamid Karzai and other Afghan officials, emphasized what they said was a pressing need to follow up U.S. military successes in Afghanistan with generous economic aid.
"Chairman Karzai stressed to us the need for the United States to continue its commitment in terms of assistance," said Rep. Marty Meehan, a Massachusetts Democrat.
Four months after the heaviest U.S. air bombardments of the anti-Taliban war, some Afghan officials and non-governmental organizations have begun pressing for consideration of compensation claims.
Estimates of civilians killed in the war range from several hundred into the thousands. No authoritative count has been made.
The government of one province alone, Kandahar, has filed more than 70 compensation cases with the central government. Four involved multiple deaths in Kandahar villages cause by U.S. bombing, and the rest were cases of single deaths or limited damage, provincial officials said. A spokesman for the U.S. Central Command has said he is unaware of any process for such claims to be made against the U.S. military.
Asked about the possibility of compensation, Rohrabacher told reporters, "In every warlike situation, mistakes are made" and "decent and honest people admit mistakes were made and make reparation."
Rohrabacher, a senior member of the House International Relations Committee, later was asked what process might be put in place. "We will support it in Congress as a legitimate cost of doing business," that is, waging war, he told The Associated Press. "We need to do what's right for the people of Afghanistan. We're not trying to hide from the facts."
On the same subject, Meehan, a member of the Armed Services Committee, said he believed the U.S. government would routinely review such cases of civilian casualties.
The delegation also included Reps. Jim Gibbons, a Nevada Republican; Todd Platts, a Pennsylvania Republican; Edward L. Schrock, a Virginia Republican; Silvestre Reyes, a Texas Democrat; Jeff Miller, a Florida Republican; Bill Shuster, a Pennsylvania Republican; and Adam Schiff, a California Democrat.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...03/ap_wo_en_ge/afghan_congressmen_2&printer=1
