Our blogs about
America's Wars
War on Iraq
War on Drugs
War on Afghanistan
War on Columbia
War on Philippines
War on Venezuela

MORE
Matrix Masters
Blogs
World Events
Katrina's Aftermath
US News
Bush Crime Family News
Science & Health
Earth News
Free Speech
News from Africa
News from Palestine
Bill of Rights Under Attack

Support Bloggers' Rights!

Lorenzo's
Random Musings
. . . about Chaos,
Reason, and Hope

Al Jazeera (English)
    Baghdad Burning Blog (by Riverbend, an Iraqi civilian girl)
            Dahr Jamail's Blog from Baghdad
                Imad Khadduri's blog "Free Iraq" (scroll down for English version)

Iraqi Civilian Deaths ... caused by Bush's unprovoked war

 

US army admits killing Iraqi child
by aljazeera.net, 04 February 2004

The US army has apologised for killing an Iraqi child even as the death toll from double bombings in Arbil, the deadliest post-war attacks in Iraq, climbed to more than 100. Colonel William Mayville acknowledged that his forces were responsible for mortar fire that killed an Iraqi boy during a major Muslim holiday, the Eid al-Fitr, as his family picnicked in the northern oil region of Kirkuk. Mayville told a meeting with local government officials, attended by an AFP correspondent, that he had ordered an investigation into the shelling that also wounded the boy's mother and two siblings. He said his troops had opened fire because they suspected insurgents were in the area, but that those responsible for the deadly error would be held accountable. Mayville added that he ordered the payment of $2500 in compensation for the family of the nine-year-old boy, Basssam Sami Awwad, and $1500 for each of the three injured. But it was not enough for the grief-stricken family, who told AFP they will sue for compensation in the Kirkuk courts. "We will never let this matter rest, especially as my child was a boy who had nothing to do with the violence in Iraq. He was just playing with his brothers when it happened," the boy's father, Sami Awwad, 31, said.

*****Hmmm. This should be interesting as they have not come to an agreement as yet on the Status of Forces Agreement, which usually protects US military from authorities in foreign countries. Of course, this is assuming this really is investigated and charges brought, if warranted. But more to the point of the issue, I think, is the lack of coverage by the US media - not one of the major media outlets has mentioned one word of this. Sad. -- but that's just this old Curmudgeon's opinion. ****

posted by A Curmudgeon 3:00 PM