Payments to Afghans detailed at MarSOC inquiry

[unhappycamper]

Payments to Afghans detailed at MarSOC inquiry
By Trista Talton - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Jan 15, 2008 20:59:20 EST

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — More than 50 Afghans received compensation payments as a result of the suicide vehicle attack on a Marine Special Operations platoon and the shootout that followed, during two ceremonies following the March 4, 2007 incident.

Air Force Lt. Col. Gordon Phillips, Provincial Reconstruction Team 7 commander responsible for Nangarhar Province in Afghanistan, testified from there via video Tuesday that solatia payments are an offer of condolences, not an admission of guilt.

“When you have an event like this, you want to try to rebuild the relationships as quickly as possible,” he said.

The payments were made to Afghans who said they were injured, had a family member killed, or personal property damaged the morning the platoon from Fox Company, Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, was attacked. PRT-7 arrived in the province in late March, after the incident, and were responsible for reconstruction and building relationships with area leaders.

Phillips said that Afghanis in the region were “very irate and very disturbed about the incident” when his team arrived.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/01/marine_marsoc_080115/