U.S. military offers apology and envelope full of cash after attack kills Afghan youngsters

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/4632995.html

CHINAR, Afghanistan — The American colonel bowed his head at the fresh dirt graves of three young boys marked by brightly colored martyrs' flags Wednesday. Then he sat down next to the boys' fathers, expressed his condolences and handed them an envelope full of cash.

Lt. Col. Brian Mennes, commander of a paratrooper regiment in the 82nd Airborne Division, said his visit to a simple mud-brick home was a sign of respect and an attempt to mend relations after the boys were mistakenly killed during the latest NATO offensive.

"I doubt many countries in the world, particularly that have been fighting here, go to these lengths to show the people we're sorry when bad things happen, even in very complex situations when you have the enemy fighting among the people," he said.

"I doubt the Soviets did this," he added, referring to fighting during the Soviet Union's occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s. snip

Earlier, Mennes gave the family $600 to buy food for visiting friends and relatives. On Wednesday, he gave the fathers $6,000 more, telling them the $2,000 gift for each child was on behalf of the Afghan government.

[partylessinOhio]

1. How disgusting!!!!!!!!!!I am ashamed to be an American

when my government acts in this manner.

$2000 is the value of a dead child?



:cry:

[Der Blaue Engel]

2. And then he congratulates himself for it

publicly and without irony.

:wtf:

[KoKo]

3. "Give 'em" Money" that's all they want...saves a Lawsuit...but then "They" aren't Entitled

to courts for their problems. Give 'EM THE MONEY! :-(