May 12 2007
In this wacky world of George Bush and terrorism and opium and heroin and suicide bombers and queens and Karl Rove, this story somehow seems just right: the Americans apologized to the families of the 19 dead and 50 injured and offered them $2,000 for each dead family member as "condolence pay".
This conjures, for me, the image of Americans cruising around this godforsaken country in their Humvees, suddenly being attacked by suicide bombers, retaliating by shooting indiscriminately in all directions, followed by a phalanx of lawyers with their wallets out: $2,000 for you... and you... and you.... and then, on we go to the next rescue mission.