Patrick.net

The value of human life, $50,000

By Dan8267   Follow   Tue, 27 Mar 2012, 11:25pm   524 views   7 comments
In Boca Raton FL 33433   Watch (0)   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike  

The United States gave $860,000 to the families of people in Afghanistan killed or wounded in a shooting rampage that is being blamed on U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, two Afghan officials said Sunday.

The money includes $50,000 for each of 16 people who were killed, as well as $10,000 for each of six who was injured, the provincial council members said.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/kcpq-us-pays-860000-to-families-of-afghan-shooting-victims-officials-say-20120325,0,1333748.story

Seems a bit low to me, but I guess I value human life more than our government.

Viewing Comments 1-7 of 7     Last »     See most liked comments

1. iwog Follow Befriend (48) 274 threads 12,650 comments 47 male Lafayette, CA Premium

   1   6:48am Wed 28 Mar 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   A million dollars to an afghan tribal family would be like a gazillion bazillion dollars here. Even with $50,000, they could probably buy up every item in a 10 mile radius. I remember a story about the early days of the war. The Military was given packs of $100 bills to pass around. Bribes, services, etc. The natives didn't know what to do with them, so the price of everything became $100. $100 for a cup of coffee, $100 for a mule ride to town, etc. This is obviously a tragedy and we have no business being in Afghanistan at this point, but I think a larger sum of money would cause these people more problems than good. Once again, thanks goes to the Republican party who made "NO SURRENDER IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN!" a slogan for the 2008 election and made it much more difficult to exit.

2. Dan8267 Follow Befriend (17) 785 threads 7,964 comments Boca Raton, FL Premium

   2   1:32pm Wed 28 Mar 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   iwog says A million dollars to an afghan tribal family would be like a gazillion bazillion dollars here. Even with $50,000, they could probably buy up every item in a 10 mile radius. So the exchange ratio on human life is determine solely by the exchange ratio on currencies? I say they should have been paid every senator's salary for the next twenty years. The senators can consider that the cost of their warmongering. The victims family should be paid enough to leave Afghanistan and start new lives somewhere less violent. iwog says Once again, thanks goes to the Republican party who made "NO SURRENDER IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN!" a slogan for the 2008 election and made it much more difficult to exit. True, which is why I like the idea of the senators paying compensation directly from their pockets.

3. iwog Follow Befriend (48) 274 threads 12,650 comments 47 male Lafayette, CA Premium

   3   2:45pm Wed 28 Mar 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   Dan8267 says So the exchange ratio on human life is determine solely by the exchange ratio on currencies? It's not an exchange rate. Giving an Afghan tribesman $10 million or even $1 million would be like giving him an Apollo lunar lander. There would be no point. Strictly speaking, there's no way to compensate for a human life. Not $50,000, not $50 million, or even $50 trillion. Unfortunately there will always be a psychopath jumping up to kill people when you least expect it no matter how much you try to prevent it. I think the $50,000 was an appropriate gesture. The median income for an Afghan citizen is $575 per year. $50,000 would not only make the family the richest in the village, it would set them for life. More than that would be robber bait and would eventually be used to buy weapons to kill people with. There aren't any banks and wealth is stored in the form of gold jewelry.

4. New Renter Follow Befriend (3) 14 threads 2,451 comments San Jose, CA Premium

   4   3:05pm Wed 28 Mar 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   iwog says I think the $50,000 was an appropriate gesture. The median income for an Afghan citizen is $575 per year. $50,000 would not only make the family the richest in the village, it would set them for life. More than that would be robber bait and would eventually be used to buy weapons to kill people with. There aren't any banks and wealth is stored in the form of gold jewelry. Yes, one does wonder how long they will get to keep that $50k before they are shaken down for it by the local thugs.

5. Dan8267 Follow Befriend (17) 785 threads 7,964 comments Boca Raton, FL Premium

   5   7:23pm Wed 28 Mar 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   Perhaps your right Iwog, but it still seems pretty cheap to me. Maybe it's because $50k per life is hardly expensive to the U.S. government. Seems like they should do more to repent like take all the Congressional pensions and use them to build roads, schools, and hospitals in Afgan. It still seems like they are just tossing a pittance to the commoners.

6. iwog Follow Befriend (48) 274 threads 12,650 comments 47 male Lafayette, CA Premium

   6   7:42pm Wed 28 Mar 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   Dan8267 says It still seems like they are just tossing a pittance to the commoners. They are, but remember in 3rd world nations it's a whole different world. I know a guy who has a first wife in California and a second wife in the Philippines. He sends his 2nd wife $200 per month and visits about 3 times a year. He's treated like a god by his wife's family, and they keep bugging him to make more children.

7. Dan8267 Follow Befriend (17) 785 threads 7,964 comments Boca Raton, FL Premium

   7   7:57pm Wed 28 Mar 2012   Share   Quote   Permalink   Like   Dislike   I need to start dating Philippines.