This, of course, would be fine if you have absolutely no grasp of reality:
Suicides among active-duty soldiers in 2007 reached their highest level since the Army began keeping such records in 1980, according to a draft internal study obtained by The Washington Post. Last year, 121 soldiers took their own lives, nearly 20 percent more than in 2006.
At the same time, the number of attempted suicides or self-inflicted injuries in the Army has jumped sixfold since the Iraq war began. Last year, about 2,100 soldiers injured themselves or attempted suicide, compared with about 350 in 2002, according to the U.S. Army Medical Command Suicide Prevention Action Plan.
The Army was unprepared for the high number of suicides and cases of post-traumatic stress disorder among its troops, as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have continued far longer than anticipated…
The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have placed severe stress on the Army, caused in part by repeated and lengthened deployments. Historically, suicide rates tend to decrease when soldiers are in conflicts overseas, but that trend has reversed in recent years. From a suicide rate of 9.8 per 100,000 active-duty soldiers in 2001 — the lowest rate on record — the Army reached an all-time high of 17.5 suicides per 100,000 active-duty soldiers in 2006.
And yet, under Bush — now ending further troop cuts in Iraq — the war goes ever on, and McCain’s platform is that it will go on forever until there is the never achieved and never defined victory, and all other courses are defeat.
How many suicide notes should be passed on to him directly?
Related posts:
- The Next Terrorist Attack on US Soil, Courtesy of Dick Cheney’s Dark Side
- Suicide — Another Side-Effect of the Economic Crisis
- Lieberman to Whip Up Anti-Muslim Hysteria With Homeland Security Hearing on Fort Hood Shooting
- Report Confirms Poor Electrical Work by KBR Endangers US Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan
- DPC to Continue Drive for Oversight, Accountability for Iraq and Afghanistan Contractors
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORg-_8_mVlU
The candiates for change make a promise of nothing… change what change, how much and when? Sam Cooke has a video on utube that is associated with Obama. but the lines don’t add up..in the end ..I go to my brother and ask him help me please and he ends up knocking me back down on my knees.
1,742 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND…
Citizen Attaturk and the zFirepup Freedom Fighters:
Lookin’ out at the political landscape I am reminded of that last scene in the first “Planet of the Apes” where Heston’s charater looks out at the Staue of Liberty buried half way up in sand and cries: “They did it…they really did it!!” (er sumpthin like that). There is no doubt in my mind that the corporate fascists are goin’ balls out ta keep us in Iraq even if it means the end of the Republican Party.
I have only one priority anymore and that is to do everything I can to insure that Barak O’Lieberman is elected president and hold him to his committment to end the war. Mrs. Clinton is jest a nasty joke that the cynical lords of capital are playin on us…there ain’t a dimes worth a difference between her and her two best friends, Joe Lik*derman and John McCrazy.
We have work ta do folks…
KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION, THE WAR HAS COME HOME AND THE ENEMY IS US!!
Amen
From our local paper
“We are completely devastated by our loss, but we are filled with pride over Evan’s loyal service,” Alice Marshall said Tuesday of her brother. “He is and always has been my hero.”
The Pentagon confirmed Wednesday the names of the five soldiers, Evan Marshall among them, who died Monday when insurgents attacked their vehicle with a roadside bomb.
Others killed in the Mosul attack were Sgt. James E. Craig, 26, of Hollywood, Calif.; Staff Sgt. Gary W. Jeffries, 37, of Roscoe, Texas; Pfc. Brandon A. Meyer, 20, of Orange, Calif.; and Pvt. Joshua A. R. Young, 21, of Riddle, Ore., according to the statement.
They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division of Fort Carson, Colo.
Good morning, folks. Of course, another alternative would be to simply privatize more of our military forces to companies like Blackwater. As private contractors, there’s no obligation to their employees for anything. In the twisted GOP logic, fewer U.S. Army troops mean fewer suicides (and later medical costs) mean less public awareness and staying in Iraq forever.
‘Turk; when I heard McCain had said that, I was like:
“Thank you, Jaysus!!!” :o)
Obama will eat him alive.
The only way he can get away with running as the uber-warpimp is if we’re stupid enough to nominate Clinton.
She’s a walking “Get out of Mesopotamian Jail free!” card for republicans.
Good morning Attaturk and FDLers.
These people’s arrogance is truly stunning. Not a moment’s thought to the lives lost, to the families destroyed, to the devastation. Sometimes I just sit here and shake my head.
Sorry OfT from this mornings NYT’s: “An Ex-President, a Mining Deal and a Big Donor”
This is bad for all Democrats.
It’s also got Rove’s fingerprints all over it. Looks like a thirty-one million dollar K-Street pay-off to Bubba.
Hope I’m wrong and someone has a better explanation.
Good morning, pups. It’s Collins, Cohen and Kristof in the NYT today. TOMC now says that “Four’s A Crowd,” and that the presidential campaign is kind of lonely — she’d gotten used to having a big crowd. Mr. Cohen is feeling optimistic and tells us that as this election campaign is demonstrating, the United States remains the most vital, open, self-renewing and democratic society on earth. Mr. Kristof has something important to ponder: does it diminish American democracy if we keep the presidency in the same two families that have held it since 1989?
http://mgpaquin.wordpress.com/
The coffee, tea and hot chocolate are ready, and the Thomas’ English muffins are all hot and crispy and fresh out of the toaster. Have a great day.
This is a familiar refrain. You might want to check out this site when you have a lot of free time, since there’s so much there. It’s Obama’s various “plans” in detail.
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/
His “present” votes in the US Senate have bothered me, but can understand somewhat given his various hurdles he has to overcome. He started at a huge disadvantage in name recognition and money, and has had to campaign more because of this. His “present” percentage in Illinois wasn’t really that unusual out of his 4,000+ votes.
This constant criticism that he’s all just talk about “change” is unfair. I like a lot of what’s in his plan. Sure, there’s some middle-of-the-road stuff, but there are some great tax eliminations and cuts for lower-middle incomes (the “Economy” section is particularly detailed). Obama has plans for getting rid of tax havens in remote islands and closing the special interest loopholes. His Technology plan is incredible, where he wants to create a Wikipedia for government activity, and bring much more transparency to government than ever in history. There’s much, much more on his site.
I like a lot of what’s there. Obama seems to “get it” in ways the Clintons do not and did not. If people go beyond Conglomerate Media coverage, it’s quite easy to find all the details of “change.”
I forget the position he took at the debate where they asked the candidates if they believe in evolution or magic
from what I remember only the ghould said he didn’t believe in magic but I think johm came close to that position as well
anyone remember?
This morning, on his Informed Comment blog, Juan Cole talks about McCain’s Iraq “policy”.
I think we are making too much of his statements on remaining in Iraq
I saw what he said and jt was something along the lines of
“if they want us and we are not loosing soldiers and there is a benefit to them and us then of course I would stay there, I’d stay there 100 years”
or something like that, really, it was not a bad position in context as far as I am concerned
sorry
Unfortunately there is a lot of ammunition to go after the clintons. Some of it may be untrue some true but in a shi* throwing party some will stick.
Knowing, as we do, that the goopers have no interest in getting us the hell out of Iraq we are left with MrsBill who would be on the side of leaving the troops there while she tries to expand the unitary executive as “war prez” or obama who says that a couple more years to continue the illegal invasion would seem to be OK. None of the candidates want to get the hell out NOW. A survey of troops, past and present would, I am sure, tell us that continuing the illegal occupation is nuts (How about you Raven?). I know what my vote would be and I know that there are no candidates that will do what I want.
Good Morning!
Sheldon Whitehouse will be
ON WASHINGTON JOURNAL
Thursday, January 31
7am – Newspaper Articles & Viewer Calls
7:30am – Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Finance Committee, Member
8am – Deborah Simmons, Washington Times, Editorial Page Editor
9am – Newspaper Articles & Viewer Calls
9:30am – Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Judiciary Committee Member
my bold
1,742 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND…
Citizen Bonkers and the Firepup Freedom Fighters:
By all means research the shit outta the candidate that you want to vote for, don’t buy a pig in a poke, but with Barak I still have a small knot of apprehension because we don’t have a good picture of where the muscle is comin’ from…is it from the Daley machine, does he have some U of Chicago-Rockefeller weight behind ‘im? There are still lotsa questions and even if the answers aren’t what we want completely, we need ta know goin’ in where we need ta throw our punches.
Let’s consolidate behind O’Lieberman if we ken force ‘im ta separate himself from Mrs. Clinton on the war.
KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION…IF WE’RE FULLY LOADED THEY’LL TAKE US SERIOUSLY!!
Mrs. Clinton is NOT and option!!!
Good morning everyone.
We need a new name for this team. How about, ‘John McLieberman’? LOL
Thanks nomolos.
I agree wholeheartedly. However that leaves us only one alternative. Is there any hope that he will go from “Naive” to “fighter” in a coupe of months?
Good morning, IMO the most damaging part of the NYTimes article was this “Both Mr. Clinton and Mr. Giustra at first denied that any such meeting occurred. Mr. Giustra also denied ever arranging for Kazakh officials to meet with Mr. Clinton. Wednesday, after The Times told them that others said a meeting, in Mr. Clinton’s home, had in fact taken place, both men acknowledged it.”
It’s bad because it’s counter factual and it lends an air of reasonableness and to a completely bankrupt policy. It posits a state of affairs that does not exist and is not likely to.
As progressives, I think most of our leverage is in House races and especially state and local elections.
With that said, I will support the Democratic candidate for President.
Did everyone see the cover of the New York Post this morning?
http://www.nypost.com/seven/01312008/frontback.htm
Is this cover a subliminal message to the masses?
Mornin’ all!
CSPAN caller: it’s Bill Clinton’s fault the republicans are hateful people and nothing can get done on capitol hill. We need someone like Romney to fix it.
lol
Mornin’ Raven
These stories need to be shared and spotlighted.
The thing I remember most contributing to the public perception of ‘Nam was the body counts.. the human cost quantitized regularly.
Of course, the dumbshits were publisheing them to prove we were winning by numbers, but the cost is what sunk in.
FD – I was in my early teens at this point and remember things differently than others.
Why Kay, whatever do you mean?
Nothing subliminal about that. That’s pretty bad.
ZOMG, Obama and Brady are “crossing swords” with cops!!!
Perris@13; that’s a bunch of bushCo-serving “if’s”.
And if you think that that “more of the same” Koolaid will taste good to american voters 6 months from now, then I don’t know what to tell you.
I suppose they thought “normality” would not be the case with the troops. It’s normal to become disturbed when forced to stay in an impossible situation.
My heart goes out to these soldiers. I knew from the start that they were sending the troops into moral jeopardy. And it has proved to be so.
One of the many reasons we need universal healthcare is for the soldiers. They should be able to seek help without going through the military to do that. They should not have to prove PTSD to do that. Or be disabled to qualify.
This is sad. It was so preventable. And it was certainly foreseeable.
should be the epitaph of the entire bushco fiasco! (It should be over the door of the lifetime prison for these criminals.)
Very cynical take on candidates Iraq statements.
I do not beleive there is a substantial difference in how any of the candidates will handle Iraq once elected.
I *do* beleive that either Clinton or Obama will do a better job of getting us out, and recovering as much standing as possible.
I honestly dont beleive Clinton, Obama or half the Rs would have taken us there in the first place.
Invading a sovereign nation is a hard fuckin genie to put back.
Where I see the greatest need to elect a Dem (ANY Dem) is judicial appointments and domestic policy.
The Legislative and Judicial branches have been under attack for 20 years.
And there is real danger that another four years could seal the deal on the Supreme Court.
One appointment won’t fix the problem, but it will stop a straight.
Hmmm . . .
opening my eyes to the possibilities
Glenn Greenwald talks about Mukasey’s performance at the hearings yesterday.
Mukasey’s radical worldview is now the norm
ABC: Soldier Suicide Attempts Skyrocket
rm: CBS
…
Time to shower and skate
Ron Wyden’s up on CSPAN
To the chase:
It all depends on Edwards and Gore. They can make Obama the next president of the United States, or they can send the republicans standing on the deck of the USS BushTanic as it kicks up for the plunge, a big lifeboat, in the form of Hillary Clinton.
That shouldn’t be too tough a choice. :o)
g’Morning Savannah. Did he write about what keeping politcal punditry in two generations does to intelligence and honesty? Bet not.
Hi all. I am getting my mind around the fact that the discussion of the Nuremberg defense between Sen. Whitehouse and AG_the_Muck-asey took place on the 75th anniversary of Hilter’s rise to power. and to wipe the tears from my eyes at the thought.
Well, Whitehouse will be up on CSPAN at 9:30!
Mack@33: Regarding bush’s bullshit about the surge, two nights ago:
Hillary applauds; Obama sits za-zen.
That should have been the 8-ball in the side pocket for anyone who wants the best antiwar candidate to represent us.
Please! We need to stop trying to give Clinton the democratic nomination as some kind of ointment for the “wounds” she’s received at the hands of FauxNews.
Whose 10 anniversary birthday party she so willingly graced, a year and a half ago.
Do they stream it. Am on a conf. call meeting and cld multitask!
ZOMG?
Principle of charity here, as philosophers say. A positive message if you are a NYer.
Obama vs. Bad [jailed/indicted/whatever] cop and Giants v. Injured [foot taped looking awkward] Brady.
Except that Brady’s injury is to his shoulder not his ankle according to the injury list issued yesterday–the one Bill B. said he would release completely and happily (not the norm, not his rule). Pats fans get the joke…Do others?
yes, at CSPAN 1 viewing link
I keep remembering a scene from a movie about the Nazis where a German officer tries to warn the PTB that shooting Jews is destroying morale in the ranks. Our young men are performing acts that they find reprehensible. Of course suicide numbers will rise.
I hate this fucking war.
Oh…and Brittney Spears is back in the hospital.
thanks Elliott.
Glenn ends on this solemn note.
My emphasis.
Solai@47: I hate it too. Practically everyone posting on here hates it.
So do a substantial and increasing number of american voters.
Now; which candidate won’t have to explain his support for it, if we nominate him?
Did anyone see law and order’s ‘Blue Plate’ primary special? Larry Craig + criminal donation bundler(Ho) + Hillary presidential candidate and look-a-like + generic black elder statesman NY politician (Rangel?) + what looked like a shot of a fake political rally in front of a real city hall. with reminders that Thompson is gone.
Blue plate special buffet!
Morning everyone. Rasmussen & TPM have Obama within 3 points of Hillary now in California.
Elliott & Twolf1,
Have I mentioned yet today how much I can’t stand the MSM in this country? Spit.
No, you haven’t. Feel free to do so at any point. ;)
Attaturk and da pups,
I’m war weary.
Please don’t misunderestimate the voting center of the country, being glued to the screen to watch LOST pretty well sums them up for me.
I spit on MSM Hcccht!
Mukasey’s testimony was scary, huh? We’d have a much kinder, gentler country if the individuals in government had to send their kids to war FIRST before anyone elses and if they had to endure the torture sessions FIRST before our government inflicts it anyone outside the government.
And, Solai, and the rest of us:
While we’re on the subject:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/ira…..8m2w.s0NUE
One out of every 5 Iraqi families has had a family member killed in what george bush (with Hillary Clinton’s unapologetic help) has unleashed on the Iraqi people.
*pushing you Volumes 224-368 to you*
Perpetuating this is the only reason “Zionist Brother Number One Lieberman” is backing “Less Jobs, More Wars McCain”.
Okay, before I leave for work. It should be noted that yesterday Dick Cheney was on
Rush Limbaugh’sAss Limbo’s show and he was talking about FISA and the waronterra. Cheney talked about how “well” we’re doing in Iraq (spying on Americans illegally is helping people! Spit.) and then said:“…the ones we’re rounding up and killing”.
Hmmmmmm…..the ones we’ve rounded up and killed, Dick…are those the ones we find on the side of the road in Iraq, blindfolded, tortured with power drills, and dead?
Hey, just asking because I don’t trust you or the reich wing media here in the states to get it right!!!!
Okay, going to work. Have a good day everyone! :-)
good point and that’s the way to argue it when a democrat might be posed with the same question
thanx all for the excellant clarification
If the US military is kept in Iraq for a long time, we’ll continue to hear, “We’re fighting them there so we don’t have to fight them here.” That misleading message is especially geared to the recruitment of the young and impressionable.
Suicides are not the only thing we’re seeing. NY times last week. Murders too, and prosecutors with a deeply troubled mind about prosecuting people with PTSD. They’re doing it, but they don’t like it.
As I have said in my own circles. The suicide bombers are not what’s going to beat the American army. PTSD is.
Oh, that is really bad!