© Key Foster/FlickrPaying the price for war.
Before the chickenhawks and wimps who want to prove they are tough by voting for war-- those are the rare few who are not motivated by the military industrial complex lobbyists and donors-- cavalierly sign off on another war, they should be required to state out loud some of the following statistics.
For every soldier killed in action, two will commit suicide. So triple the projected death count, then add in the ones who die from injuries acquired on an off the battlefield, while in the military. Those deaths should count too.
Thirty percent of veterans seen at the VA have PTSD. It's estimated that as many as 35 percent of Iraq veterans will develop PTSD. One report found that "a large majority of Vietnam Veterans struggled with chronic PTSD symptoms, with four out of five reporting recent symptoms when interviewed 20-25 years after Vietnam." That's 80% suffering from PTSD symptoms.
Experts estimate that 30-35% of veterans come home with closed head trauma.
Almost half of vets were found to binge drink, 20% of them reported binge drinking every week for the past month, in one study.
A handful will go on to become war whores, as members of congress, totally selling themselves to the military industrial complex, becoming spokesmen for more and more war.
John McCain is one of the most despicable shameful examples. A tiny few will learn from their military experience and oppose war. It is sick that veterans are loyal to the army and the military and seek to send more innocent young, imbued with American exceptionalism driven patriotism to wars started on lies, where the real motives are profits and power.
Comment: By land or by sea, Russia stays on target.