Cabinet to pay Americans for ills suffered under Saddam

BAGHDAD (AP):

The Iraqi Cabinet unanimously approved a $400 million settlement for Americans who say they were abused by Saddam Hussein's regime, the government spokesman said yesterday. The agreement represents a significant step forward for Iraq and could bring an end to years of legal battles by Americans who claim to have been tortured or traumatised under Saddam's regime dating back to the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.

The deal is likely to anger Iraqis who consider themselves the victims of both Saddam's regime and the 2003 United States-led invasion, and they wonder why they should pay money for wrongs committed by the ousted dictator.