Professor Lesley Wexler authored a two-part series of blog posts on the Kabul drone strike for Justia.com. In the first part, she raises two key concerns: that civil society rather than the government brought the mistake to light, and that there is no legal requirement to pay reparations. Professor Wexler describes the reasons behind our reliance on journalists and civil society to investigate problems like this strike and explains the relevant laws of war that allow the victims’ families to go uncompensated. In part two, Wexler addresses the U.S. approach to voluntary condolence and solatia payments. She explains what these payments require and how they often fall short, and she points out the gulf between commitments to making condolence and solatia payments and payments actually made.
Read part one and part two of the series at verdict.justia.com.