So where's the money?????

[tpsbmam]

http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2006-09-25\kurd3.htm

<snip>

Thousands of victims of U.S. attacks on Iraqi cities, towns and villages are furious because they have so far received nothing for the destruction of their houses, property and the killing and wounding of relatives

<snip>

Before, during and in the immediate aftermath of these invasions, U.S. and Iraqi officials make big promises to the civilian population. They vow to reconstruct the destroyed cities and handsomely pay for casualties and damage.

And the local media carry stories on amounts of money that has already been earmarked for the purpose.

For example, $25 million were allocated only to the city of Samarraa following the major U.S. invasion of the city in October, 2004.

But residents say while they are still being bombed, there has been no trace of the money.

<snip>

“U.S. warplanes bombarded my sister’s house. The bombing turned the house into heaps of debris. We had to dig up the corpses of my sister, her husband and three children from the ruins. We have submitted several applications for compensation but to no avail,” Nadeemd said.

(Here's the blah, blah from the "authorities.")

However, local authorities say the $25 million allocated for Samarraa, most of it part of an American grant, is set aside in the Central Bank and will be released as soon as possible.

Hussain Jabbara, senior provincial official from Takreet of which Samarraa is a district, said he recently had a meeting with Iraqi officials and U.S. military officers who confirmed that “appropriate compensation” will be made for those affected in Samarraa.