Another Sign That Things Are Not Good in Iraq
There was a recent report indicating that the suicide rate in US soldiers is at its highest rate in 26 years. The army claims that there is no correlation between the suicides and the war, but I have to say that the evidence is compelling to the contrary.
I would say that this serves as one of the most certain and ultimately dismal signs that our servicemen and women are fighting aboard a sinking ship. It is also a certain indicator that they are not getting the necessary medical attention deserved upon returning from the war and instead are finding themselves in difficult and crummy situations such as those uncovered at Walter Reed. While I ask our Congressional Representatives to redouble their efforts to get our men, women, and children home from abroad I ask you to share your thoughts about this stunning piece of data.
Unfortunately this isn’t news - it has been around for a while but is now just getting reported - the report a (better link here) gives additional insight into the Army’s response to the suicides
Check these links from one of my earlier posts.
Our system is stressed by our returning soldiers. Water Reed is but a single example. Homelessness, Divorce rates, Suicides, PTSD and, of course, stop loss all await our soldiers.
In the same paper, I think from the same day Randy Kuhl criticized Congress and the American people for trying to micromanage the war. And there’s another article about a soldier who paid someone to shoot him so he wouldn’t have to go back to Iraq. Heck, Randy Kuhl might have done it for free.
I heard a report that the suicide rate has been determined to be caused by failed relationships, divorce and breakups.
And what causes that strain?
A war veteran is not part of the strong national defense that the Reapers are so good at. Come on ,, to greet our soldiers with Pride and Gratitude, and take proper care of them for their enormous sacrifice? how patriotic would that be? certainly not a Republican “reapers” policy.
Kinda brings that whole “your not patriotic” rant into perspective.
At least 99 American soldiers killed themselves last year, the US army’s highest suicide rate in 26 years, according to a new report.
The rate of 17.3 suicides per 100,000 soldiers compares with 12.8 in 2005, officials said.
Twenty-eight of the soldiers who took their own life last year did so while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.
The army listed failed relationships, legal and financial issues and guilt from butchering unarmed civilians as factors behind the suicides.
Two soldiers’ deaths from last year are still being investigated. If confirmed as suicide, the figure for 2006 will climb to 101.
The highest number recorded was 102 in 1991, the year of the Gulf War - but more soldiers were on active duty then, meaning the rate per 100,000 soldiers was lower than in 2006.
So far this year, 44 soldiers have taken their own lives, 17 of them while deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan mainly due to feelings of guilt.
JB - Yes - This is from the AP article I linked to as I recall.
Give your sources or a link next time