Reply #4: From the article [View All]

It says they sent 478 soldiers home from Iraq for "mental health issues." Also says most of the suicides occured after Bush's May 1st photo opp.

I wonder how many of the suicides were due to guilt and shame. How many soldiers figured out they were lied to - we were all lied to - and felt bad to have been used. How many started to wonder how they would react if another country chose to occupy their home town. How many just didn't want to kill anyone else to support the lies.

It's one thing to leave your family, home and job to serve your country for a noble cause. To suffer through desert heat and little food and water. To live with killing other people. To go through all that without a good reason must be hell.

Then imagine that your reward is a cut in pay and benefits. You have to ask your family to send you basic equipment and supplies, all the wile knowing your wife can barely pay the mortgage. If you get to go home on R&R you have to pay your own way. If you get hurt you have to pay for your own meals in the hospital - even if your only 'meal' drips into your arm.

On top of all that, the people you are supposed to be liberating don't want you there anymore and are increasingly trying to hurt or even kill you. Then realize there is no end in sight to this hell. No one is coming to relieve you. There is no exit strategy, no plan for closure.

I'm not surprised at about a dozen suicides and less than 500 mental health issues. I'm surprised it isn't more. It will be.

A tiny glimmer of 'good' news - it was on the local news tonight. Soldier's suicides stories can't be part of Rove's playbook, but it was on a couple of local news shows tonight.