Should IRA victims get compensation?
Should the victims of terrorism be compensated? Gordon Brown says the government will now give its support to the relatives of those killed by IRA bombs who are seeking compensation from Libya.
But is the government doing enough to help victims? What about victims of loyalist atrocities in Northern Ireland, or abroad in attacks in places like Mumbai and Bali? Is financial compensation necessary and who should pay it?
That's the subject of the Phone-in with Nicky at 0900.
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What's next? Will all of the families of World War 2 victims be claiming for the those killed in the war?
...and Wasn't Jesus killed for nothing? Must be a claim there!
If people start paying retrospective compensation where does it stop?
Mick Campbell
(Middlesbrough)
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On the basis that other families have had compensation, then perhaps they deserve a similar treatment. My immediate thought however takes me to the animal farm situation by which some countries appear to be guided to fight for their citizens but conveniently forget the plight of those they themselves have visited similar things on! Those people may not have have the same clout as British or the American citizens neither can they take on the might of those whole control the world so they suffer but are not heard. I just hope we share a though for these people too.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
No, they should not.
Compensation? What's that all about? Can money buy a life back?
I worked in London at the time of the bombings there. We had our shop windows blown out. It could have been me. So I'm not immune to feelings for people and their loss, but I don't see how or why people should be compensated.
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This argument of compensation is ridiculous. While I agree people should be compensated for attacks against them in all cases I feel there are double standards here. America should look back to their war against South East Asia where they bombed an area of Southern Loas with all of their left over bombs. Thousands were killed and hundreds are still killed every year because of these bombs(many more innocents than in any IRA attack), it is the most bombed area on earth. Do we here these people complaining about compensation? no, I'm sure they'd love some but they're are not lucky enough to live in a free and rich country. We should look at what our own countries are and have done first and then talk about compensation.
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Money now seems to be the sole answer to everything.
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Does no-one in Downing Street think anything through any more? Policy making on the hoof such as this succeeds only in opening up cans of worms best left shut at this late stage. Begs the question - nothing's been done for decades - why now? A moment's thought would have brought to mind all the other hard cases so far uncompensated. A bit like the Gurkha fiasco. Government on the back foot again.
The idea - when in government - is to devise policy in full consideration of all the implications and then to see it through. We should not be party to the ongoing development of policy from one day to the next. Total absence of leadership.
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I back Gordon Brown totally in claiming comoensation for those who have sold or used bombs which have killed or injured innocent civilians.
Therefore I am sure that Mr Brown, being an honest man of the utmost integrity will back the paying of British compensation for all of the following:
(1) Those civilians affected by mass allied (US/USA) bombing of the former Yogoslavia.
(2) Those civilians affected by mass allied (UK/USA)bombing of Iraq
(3) Any civilian casualties in Palestine as a result of Israeli use of miilitary weapons supplied by Britain
(4) Indonesian bombing of East Timor, using British supplied arms.
I am confident that Mr Brown will support all of these in order to refute the ridiculous allegations, that he is merely playing politics to mitigate the reaction to his part in the release of the Lockerbie bomber.
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will Gordon Brown be willing to pay compensation for all the people who are killed and injured by weapons sold by British companies ? I would expect the users of the weapons to pay... A friend of mine was killed by a drunken driver.... should the car manufacturer or the salesman of the car pay compensation?
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The Libyans are not responsible for the bombings which were carried out by the IRA. Why not ask the IRA - Gerry Adams & Co - to pay the compensations which are no doubt well deserved by the victims and their families
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#9. mr_mervyn wrote:
"A friend of mine was killed by a drunken driver.... should the car manufacturer or the salesman of the car pay compensation?"
Or perhaps the establishment that supplied the drink!
Equipment suppliers are an odd case as their liability varies depending on the cause of the fault that led to the death or injury. In the case of armaments they are designed to kill so is it not reasonable to suppose that someone acquiring this kind of equipment is doing so with the intention of causing harm or to kill?
Personally, I would like to see car manufacturers fined each time the equipment that they supplied is used to break the law by speeding - they sell cars that can do 150mph, but then deny liability, but is it not the case that as they use the (illegal) speed as a way of selling the vehicle and that they know that it will be used to break the law!
By the way, when Libya pays out all it has to do is to fractionally increase the price of its oil exports, paid for by us (and others), and they will get the money back - so for them, if not paying out prevents oil sales, and it costs them nothing to pay out - it is a heads they win game etc...!
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I agree with mr_mervyn when will the list end
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No they shouldnt get compensation. The troubles wee entirely of their own making. Live by th sword and die by it. Tough on the genuinely inocent
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nickys kneejerk was on show again today: a caller suggests that israels/west actions against the palestinians are criminal and before she could finish her idea nickys kneejerk had to defend israel as the victim of being target of the palestinians home made 'rockets'.
if only the knee had waited - for the caller was more intent in stating that arms companies should provide for a fund that would pay for the victims of their 'sophisticated' weaponry.
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Richard:
Yes, the IRA Victims should get compensated but, It looks like the chances are getting dim, big, I hope that they can get the compensation....
=Dennis Junior=
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