Report: War Sympathy Payments Plunge - GAO Report Requested By Sen. Kennedy

[Kadie]

Report: War Sympathy Payments Plunge
GAO Report Requested By Sen. Kennedy

POSTED: 10:56 am PDT June 1, 2007
UPDATED: 3:08 pm PDT June 1, 2007

Congressional investigators have issued a new report that says the Pentagon has paid almost $31 million to Iraqis or Afghans who have suffered as a result of U.S. combat operations.

However, according to the Government Accountaility Office, the number of payments made in 2006 dropped 66 percent compared with those in 2005.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., requested the assessment. He said the report raises serious concerns about the fairness and uniformity of the payments.

"It's surprising that the level of these payments has plunged in the past years," Kennedy said in a statement.

"Innocent Iraqi civilians are bearing an immense burden in this misguided war, and the administration has the responsibility to ensure that its condolences policy is fair and is seen to be fair by the Iraqi people and the world," he said.

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