As more starts to come out about the behavior of the Blackwater mercenaries in Iraq, one story in particular stuck in my mind. Last December, a drunken Blackwater mercenery shot and killed one of the Iraqi vice president’s bodyguards. The murderer was fired and sent home, but faced no criminal charges. It was understood that compensation would have to be paid, and a $100,00- $250,000 range was floated. Instead, the guard’s family was given only $15,000, on the grounds that a higher number would only encourage Iraqis to “try to get killed to set up their family financially”. Incredible.
It also reminds me of crown prince Paras of Nepal, who has killed people at least twice through drunk driving without any consequence whatsoever, in a country where criticizing the royal family is a criminal offense.
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