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CNN.com is reporting that Libya is offering $10 million per family with the caveat that payments are contingent upon international sanctions being lifted.

Should the families of victims be used as pawns in this manner? Will they go for it? If it were your family, would you take the money under these conditions?

that is a hard Q.
but i hope not.. (take the money, that is)

I just heard on the BBC that this is the first the families of Brits lost in the crash have heard of any settlement negotiations on their behalf. Apparently, nobody ever told them what was going on.

I don't think there were settlement negotiations going on so much as Libya has offered this settlement to the victims's families and is seeing if they are going for it. Pan Am settled some years ago and there have been various civil suits in the United States and Europe against Libya and the Libyans are trying to get out from under steep sanctions.

Re: Re: Libya's terrorism settlement (no spam)

Originally posted by Weasel
Is this the same deal Libya put forth a couple of months ago? If it is I believe most declined the offer, stating (IIRC) they would rather have Libya admit to it instead.

In my personal opinion, I don't believe sanctions work and just brings more hate towards the US.


A Weasel Theory:

"How to embarrass the West and show they only care about money"

Offer them (the West) money on the grounds they drop sanctions. Get the West to agree and then "spew at the mouth" to the world that you bought your way out of the Democratic West.

(This hinges on giving them (Libya) the brains to come with something like this......)

Wow! You really would make a great evil tyrant!

I'm not sure, it would be nice to be compensated for one's loss but likewise I'd probably feel like I was selling out on my deceased loved ones.

I don't believe Libya will compensate the families. Most want Libya to admit responsibility, which is unlikey...that said they are doing as much by offering the money IMO. The sanctions will not be lifted unless the families and their sympathisers put enough pressure on the UN and US to compromise - even then it is doubtful and Gadhafi will not want to compromise so it will be a stalemate situation.

I share Mr Shultz' opinion that this is blood money, if it was my family, and I could make any kind of difference turning it down then I would. But all the families would need to do the same. Maybe by believing that this money is unlikely to be forthcoming, they might just do that and support the UN and US sanctions in Libya. Gadhafi needs to denounce terrorism and go the right way around getting the sanctions lifted, bribery - and making the UN/US to look the bad guys by denying the victim's family rights to compensation - will not work IMO. Any offer of compensation should be unconditional.

I don't believe Libya will compensate the families. Most want Libya to admit responsibility, which is unlikey...

It's one of three conditions for the lifting of sanctions. The other two have been fulfilled, but as you write, this one's not likely to come off.

On the one hand, nothing can bring back a loved one, but if the options are getting nothing or getting $10 million in cash, I might be tempted to take the dough, especially if I've spent thousands of dollars already in civil suits or to attend the trials of the bombers in the Netherlands.

On the other hand, I think our friend Yshania is right when a lot of the family members only want an admission of guilt. I think Fred Goldman would give up any claim on the money he is entitled to after the wrongful death lawsuit in the instance of his son if OJ would just come out and admit that he killed Ron Goldman and Nicole Simpson.

In principle, I'd like to think that under the same conditions, I would throw the money back in the face of the Libyans, or perhaps take it and advertise a $10 million bounty for the death of Momamar Khaddafi.