This is very sad indeed 154 military suicides in 155 days
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...v=mJU-07Jizp8#!

This is the Bush's legacy and is Obama's problem.

I wonder how many soldiers have really died in these wars. Suicides, I am pretty sure, are not counted as casualties.

It is time to pull these troops out 100% from both of the wars the neocons started. The problem is, what do we do with the large number of soldiers that would come home.
Perhaps they are the workforce we need to rebuild our infrastructure. It is time for a serious GI bill again.

There are many ways this discussion can go. What are your thoughts.

Having close personal experience with two who served in these two recent wars. Unless they can seek help without fear of separation then this will keep happening.



Barney

I think the reason Obama hasn't pulled out earlier is fear of "cutting and running" rhetoric from the GOP. Generally, the Dem's always overcompensate for their perceived weakness on national security, even if it means soldiers' lives are sacrificed for politics.

That said, a GOP victory could ultimately entail yet another NeoCon clusterf*ck and lots more death and destruction (in Iran, for example).

Doesn't service in the military still provide higher education benefits after separation? How has it changed since '45? I'm just throwing out a couple questions that are germane to it.
I agree that we can't get out of Afghanistan fast enough, our fight is and was with Alqueda and shouldn't really extend beyond that particular antagonist.
As to rebuilding infrastructure off the top of my head there really plenty of people in country that will leap, some reluctantly, at a job. Retraining commodities brokers and cubicle hounds to pick and shovel work is really easy.;)
Somehow there appears to be a bias that only the young are fit to manual labor.
I think that is probably due to the fact that many are out of shape and of the fantasy that dirty hands are somehow reserved for the underclass. Both of those conditions & attitudes are easily changed by poverty. When there is a WPA/CCC type of solution available to out of work people they will be lining up.

I think congress is solely to blame for the stagnating situation in the economy. There's no doubt unless you are living under a rock that with the current group of GOP Senators are unwilling for whatever reason to approve (or shoot down and take the heat) the Jobs Bill and similar legislation they have been filibustering at a rate that is unprecedented in the countries history. Remember who is on your side this coming election and vote your conscience.

Parting shot-how does anybody in the military consider voting for Romney considering his past. Religious deferment. Are there any Mormons in France? Did he convert anyone when he was there? Or (as I suspect)was it simply an extended vacation provided by his daddy, with a little fun taunting the French?:rolleyes:

Yes, Iran for sure and probably Syria too. McCain, Lieberman and Graham have been making loud insistent noises about us assuming a combat role there.

John

I don't believe that suicide report is accurate but if a few cowards hung
themselves because it was not a free ride through life on our coin then we
are better off anyway. Next

A lot of the VA benefits of the past have been theatre specific and/or sunsetted. When our involvement in the Middle East began there wasn't much in the way of benefits our returning veterans could avail themselves of.

Senator Jim Webb, D. Va. and former Secretary of the Navy under Reagan, had been very effective at writing and getting passed very good veteran's affairs legislation, including the "Post 9-11 Veterans' educational Assistance Act" and he ain't done yet. He's a bit of a Blue dog but a good man..... And he hates W. with the heat of 1,000 white suns!

'Course, to take advantage of veteran's benefits you have to be a veteran. Stop-Loss makes that a bit problematic.

John

Holeeeee shit, Jack! That's pretty fuckin' cold!

Oh, and why don'y you "believe it"? Do you have other data or do you just not like to contemplate the reasons for all these suicides?

John

I can't be held responsible, I watched Patton a couple weeks back;)

The military brainwashes their people that any sign of "weakness" is to be ridiculed and attacked. This is why so many military and ex-military are so far right. I used to be that way, until I started getting a little older, having heart problems, arthritis issues and reality set in. I'm hoping that someday and the sooner the better, that the rest of my beloved country will snap out of this uber-Republican induced he-man bullshit and follow suit. Before the whole damn country turns into a troop of baboon.

And, I mean that most sincerely.

Dave