Thursday July 2, 2009, 5:58 pm
Australian soldiers in Afghanistan will carry cash in the battle field to give "honour payments" (Bribes to shut up?) as cash to locals whose family members are killed or whose property is damaged because of Defence Force missions.

The payments will be allowed under the Tactical Payments Scheme, legislation for which came into effect yesterday.

So-called "honour payments" are a long-standing Afghan tradition, but ADF personnel have been hamstrung in the past by the need to get approval for any payment from the Finance Department in Canberra.

The former arrangements, known as Act of Grace payments, meant it often took days to get compensation payments to victims of collateral damage, making life difficult for troops and Afghans.

Defence analysts have welcomed the new arrangements, saying it will make Australian troops safer and increase the chances of successful missions.

But some legal experts have warned of the need to maintain high levels of transparency in the payment process.

"The scheme was developed in response to lessons learned in ADF operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and East Timor," a defence spokeswoman said.

"[It will] provide a means for making no-liability payments to people adversely affected in the course of (ADF) activities abroad.

"The scheme is an acknowledgement that, in many areas in which the ADF operates the expectation of financial compensation for collateral damage to property, injury, or loss of life is often a common aspect of local cultures.

"Respect for and recognition of such customs is vital for building relationships with these communities, which in turn enhances the safety and security of our deployed ADF personnel."

The executive director of the Australia Defence Association (ADA), Neil James, says it's a "very, very useful reform." And he cannot see how anyone would have a serious concern with it.

"What the new legislation allows is for the troops on the ground to make payments if they have to, in Afghan terms honour payments and in Australian terms compensation payments, and do so quickly before a situation of local resentment might otherwise arise," he told The World Today.

"The sums involved are often quite small, but in Afghan terms they're seen as sufficient recompense for the affront to honour involved."

There is some concern from law experts that making quick payments to Afghans could prejudice investigations into incidents of concern.

"Inevitably there is the fear that through making these types of payments, any civilians who might then be questioned following actions which result in any level of independent inquiry... if they have received payments they might then be reluctant to then come forward with the truth of any incident," said Don Rothwell, professor of international law at the Australian National University.

"This might raise issues with both Australian laws and international laws."

'War is war, combat is combat'

Mr James says he recognises the concerns, but the benefits far outweigh any potential risks.

"Most of these payments are quite small and in situations requiring investigations there's often lots and lots of complexity like Taliban intimidation and people telling big fibs just to get compensation payments, so it's already a complex and nuanced legal and moral situation," he said.

"If anything these new procedures are going to help resolve situations rather than make them worse.

"Unfortunately war is war and combat is combat. The safety of our troops and the security and success of their mission is unfortunately paramount."

The Opposition's assistant defence spokesman Bob Baldwin says he supports the legislation, which included requirements that the Defence Force outlines in its annual report the amount of payments made.

"Rather than just being hidden as a global amount, we need further forensic investigation," Mr Baldwin said.

"Not denying the men and women in the field the ability to act and act decisively, what we need to do is make sure, because this is taxpayers' money, to make sure it's counted back through the Parliament."
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It's a wonderful idea, but won't that make Aussie troops prime targets for the money hungry Talliban?...

Not to mention the accountability problem...Where did that money go?...

If you "visit site >>" you will find a short audio clip there...It is the news I heard on the Oz ABC radio that astounded and inspired me to post this item :-)

Thursday July 2, 2009, 7:13 pm
David you'll forgive me if I pass on this one. The whole thing war, maiming and killing children, soldiers carrying money to pay for the loss of a child due to a bullet or whatever, the whole idea, the war to begin with, children's lives considered so cheap, by both sides, is more then I can stomach. Thanks for the article which shows how little life really means when there's money to pass out! Barbara/founder/dtdn

Thursday July 2, 2009, 7:39 pm
Hi, David. This is horrible, like war always is. They are going to keep killing people anyway, so I see nothing wrong with making sure the families can pay for funerals.

Paying for the funerals does NOT make any of this OK. It is only an opportunity to fund funerals or provide temporary housing and buy clothes and food when they blow up someone's home.

It might make it possible to pay for babysitters if they kill a young mother.

Do they pay the money if they don't kill the victim? What about if they blind a child who was too close to the explosion, or blow a grandma's legs off? Seems that ought to also be compensated.

If a pregnant woman aborts after being wounded, will she be compensated for losing her baby, too?

Now the Aussi troops will probably be robbed, or the troops might take the money themselves. I have become skeptical in recent years. I can see some of the victims getting nothing, but the money being "paid" to the soldiers, themselves.

Folks have been fighting in the Middle East for hundreds of years. How long is the rest of the world going to drain their budgets in this conflict?

Thursday July 2, 2009, 9:29 pm
I think this is a slap in the face and degrading. If anyone has had anyone killed in their family they would know that no amount of money will ever justify their death. Here comes soldiers who, are part and parcel of who killed them and are giving away money as compensation??? Want more animosity - your going to get it!

Friday July 3, 2009, 2:22 am
If they blow up somebody's house and kill their relatives, I think it is right for them to pay to build another house and bury the dead.

Pay the people. God will sort out the rest of it by and by.

Friday July 3, 2009, 3:05 am
Unbelievable... wish it was just a bad dream...

It almost sounds like a video game where you'd get a little fine for shooting the "wrong" target - aka collateral damage...

This is so disgusting, the entire situation I mean.

The world is out of control and all values killed a little more with each new civilian that gets killed.

Friday July 3, 2009, 3:06 am

"As long as people believe in absurdities, they will continue to commit atrocities."

Voltaire

Friday July 3, 2009, 4:04 am
Well-quoted, Brigritte, for it is an absurd mentality that everything is a commodity, that all problems can be neutralized with an infusion of money. Life is sacred; money exists only as a mutual agreement in regard to exchange. Taking food & land away from people makes them dependent, and the need for money necessary. Little wonder religious extremists in counterpoint to this false world view can find converts !

Friday July 3, 2009, 4:46 am

"it is an absurd mentality that everything is a commodity, that all problems can be neutralized with an infusion of money. Life is sacred; money exists only as a mutual agreement in regard to exchange. Taking food & land away from people makes them dependent, and the need for money necessary. Little wonder religious extremists in counterpoint to this false world view can find converts !"

"You cannot currently send a star to Pamylle because you have done so within the last week."
Oh yes I can :) Thank you and many stars to you for your comments Pamylle. You are SO right!

Friday July 3, 2009, 6:12 am
David, I thought we only had a token force of 700 consisting of an Engineer Squadron doing rebuilding and construction work with some Infantry to protect them. I don't believe that the Australian forces would have anything near the numbers of "collateral" damage that US military have. Our Government are very tight with money, and the paperwork and accountability would be mindblowing. I am at a loss as to what "mission" the media is talking about, unless they drop the SAS in from time to time. I can tell you as a returned Australian serviceman, that our soldiers are very well trained and disciplined, with very professional leadership. We have a philosophy of winning the hearts and minds, rather than blow away a whole village. Our SAS regiment are one of the most professional and best fighting units in the world.
I think this article is a beatup.

Friday July 3, 2009, 7:17 am
This is disgusting - blood money.

Sunday July 5, 2009, 5:43 am
let not forget we would not be there in the first place if the U.S was not attacked on 9/11 by al-queda who were traing in afghanastan..so the blood of every civilian is on their hands...not that al-queda/taliban really cares about that but it is their fault...

Monday July 6, 2009, 5:44 am
Col. Qaddafi has paid to the american,British and other Europe more then two million $ for every victims of Luckier be Air plan because they're expensive citizen. The SAS regiment paid 200 U.S dollar for every Afghani they kill.We should Note that deferent of Treatment. The human is a human and the creators is one. We should tell those idiot to stop killing and comm back home, and we can't to be free nation if we force the other nation to be under our rule.

Monday July 6, 2009, 3:25 pm
The United States was NOT attacked by "al-Qaida members training in Afghanistan". Not by ANY stretch of the imagination!!! Even our own FBI, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, says that there is, quote, "NO EVIDENCE" of that.
9/11 was ENTIRELY AN INSIDE JOB; as ANYone can easily find out, who applies themselves to researching the FACTS.

Go to the website of Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth; or, Firefighters for 9/11 Truth, {or Airplane Pilots for 9/11 Truth, or several other categories of EXPERTS AND PROFESSIONALS on structural engineering and all sorts of specialties}. The THREE buildings did NOT fall down on 9/11 because of being "hit by airplanes"; they were brought down, as any expert, scientist, mathematician, physicist, engineer, architect, materials expert, demolitions expert, military operations expert, etc. etc. etc. can tell you, BY INTERNALLY-PLANTED EXPLOSIVES. {Some quite new-fangled super-explosive called THERMITE. Residues of it HAVE BEEN FOUND.}
This is proven FACT; which our govt of course, denies.

They deny it, because THOSE EXPLOSIVES HAD TO BE PLANTED IN THE THREE BUILDINGS IN ADVANCE OF 9/11. No way at all to plant them "after the planes hit". This implicates among others, the OWNERS of the three buildings {who collected the Insurance on them?}; the persons responsible for the SECURITY COMPANY watching over the World Trade Center complex {which just, uh, HAPPENED to be members of the BUSH immediate family!}; some parts of the Pentagon {who got PROMOTIONS after 9/11!}; and some others high-up, too high to be messed with.

This is what is so DESPICABLE, when you think about it. The United States govt KNOWINGLY SACRIFICED AN ENTIRE NATION, IRAQ, JUST TO UPHOLD THE VERSION IT WANTS TO PROPAGATE OF 9/11. The TOTALLY FALSE version. NOW, the United States is going to DEVASTATE TWO MORE NATIONS; Afghanistan and Pakistan; for the same DESPICABLE, LYING REASONS. The United States govt is TORTURING MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN; some of them, torturing TO DEATH; to try to elicite FALSE CONFESSIONS, like those the witch-hunters and the Spanish Inquisition used to try to force from those in their clutches. {Using many of the same, time-tested and often-successful tortures, I may add.}

THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, or elements of it, were responsible for imagining, then planning and executing, the 3000+ murders of 9/11. {Not the entire govt, or the entire military either; the ones who know, however, are AFRAID of speaking out, many have already been MURDERED, others have received credible Death Threats, for doing so. Those who DO speak out, in spite of threats they receive, are of course not mentioned in the Media at ALL; so people don't hear of it.}
The U.S. govt is KNOWINGLY COMPOUNDING this huge crime, by BLAMING groups which, altho they don't like the U.S. much, {who says they have to?}, HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH 9/11. Nothing. Zilch. Nada. ZERO.
ONLY AN INSIDE JOB could have POSSIBLY brought off the Controlled Demolitions, the pre-planned EXPLOSIONS, of 9/11.

As uncomfortable as this may be, for U.S. citizens to think about.
There is just NO WAY AROUND THE FACTS. No wiggle-room, NO alternatives. JUST THE FACTS THAT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES TO ANYONE WHO ACTUALLY LOOKS AT THEM.

Use LOGIC and Reason and believe the witness of YOUR OWN EYES; NOT what the official U.S. govt account TOLD you to believe! {Told you while people were still in a state of shock, and thus super-suggestible! The U.S. govt was PREPARED for that, all right!} What you SEE, on FILM, is CLEARLY EXPLOSIONS; nothing different!
How'd Al-Qaida over in Afghanistan get hold of all that top-secret Thermite stuff {and the know-how to set it off!}, then just walk past Security to get it into the building elevator shafts or whatever..... oh, never mind!

Monday July 6, 2009, 3:39 pm
The Australian govt, of course, KNOWS all about this. So does the Brit govt, etc. SHAME ON THEM, for going along! {Of course, they're greedy pigs for a share, however modest, of the OIL PROFITS......}

IT IS NECESSARY TO INFORM EACH INDIVIDUAL SOLDIER, OF THE ACTUAL FACTS OF 9/11. When they know the FACTS, the troops are often RELUCTANT {to say the least!} TO FIGHT FOR A BLATANT LIE; UNWILLING TO LAY DOWN THEIR LIVES FOR A RIDICULOUS, TRAGIC JOKE. There have been several examples of soldiers CHANGING THEIR MINDS ONCE THEY LEARN THE TRUTH OF 9/11.

This is the SINGLE BEST THING WE AS CARING INDIVIDUALS CAN DO, TO STOP THESE ENDLESS SERIES OF WARS. Which country will be demolished next, "Because of 9/11", to keep that LIE going and going!?!

INFORM YOURSELF; and then SPREAD 9/11 TRUTH UNTIL IT REACHES EVERY SOLDIER IN THE RANKS. So every single soldier hears it at least once. The soldiers then will decide THEMSELVES, what to do with this information!

Tuesday July 7, 2009, 1:08 am
Thank you BMutiny, well said, there is so much evidence available today to prove that 9/11 was an inside job.