August 20, 2007

Suicide: The Price of War on the Cheap

I've been reading all over the place about the suicide rate among the troops so I did some digging:
According to Frontline on PBS, in 1981 [the year the articles are comparing today's rate to] there were 2,113,254 troops stationed worldwide [under Reagan -- the last guy, I think, we all perceived as a war-monger (we sure didn't know when we were well off, did we?)].

Today, during major wars Bush is waging against 2 countries [not counting this one], there are 1,414,254 troops worldwide.

hmmmmmmmm---
I think if I was a soldier and was expected to carry on 2 wars with 0.6692 the number of troops that were on the ground during a time of relative peace, I might be feeling the strain.
What do you all think?
^^^
Once again, Bush shows his colors: if you're no longer a fetus, you're an expendable commodity -- unless, of course, you're a member of the Young Republicans for Bush. That group is in this country hyping the war, and not going to war, in record numbers.

7 comments:

Mary Ellen said...

These soldiers don't get a break and are being redeployed way too soon. The horrors of wars will be with them for the rest of their lives, I saw it in my dad who fought in Okinawa during WWII.

The care that these guys get when they come home is bad, but the care that those who come home and are dealing with depression, is even worse. Actually, as a whole, our society refuses the care needed for those who are dealing with mental health. The health care industry pays little for this and often force the hand doctors to keep them from getting the hospitalization they need.

two crows said...

wb, m e--
how was your Sunday?

yep-- the stigma attached to mental illness of all sorts -- even emotional distress -- plays right in to the 'health care' industry's plans to do nothing about mental health care in all strata of the country.

and, with the military's attitude of 'pull yourself up by your own bootstraps' comes into play -- it's all a lost cause.
which, of course, plays into the gov't's plan [and not just Bush's gov't -- tho it's the worst we've seen, imo].

Robert Rouse said...

The way I see it - and I have pretty good vision - the only people who are really supporting the troops are the ones who want them home - safe and sound of mind.

two crows said...

hi, Robert--
I'd say you've got 20/20.

sporting a yellow ribbon and being a hawk don't go together, imo.

Larry said...

I believe the suicide rates are much higher than they claim. Just like everything else, the government runs coverup operations on their own citizens.

two crows said...

bet you're right, larry--
when they lie about everything else, why should we believe em when they trot out these figures?

and, given the numbers of people who suffer silently rather than take their lives or before taking their lives, the numbers needing our help and that of the health care system are astronomical.

Mary Ellen said...

larry

I never thought of that, you're probably right! I mean, really, how often have we been given bogus information from the Pentagon and our government? Thanks for bringing that up!