They’re here to show what a lie “compassionate conservatism” is.

guess again, these numbers will not wake up the populace

IT’S CALLED THE AMERICAN DREAM, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE ASLEEP TO BELIEVE IT

I’ll give you libs some credit! You just don’t give up! I mean you lost the recent Iraq vote for the 40th time and now you’re trying this tactic about suicides!

Comment by John Kerry — November 14, 2007 @ 4:37 pm

I can’t believe that Bush supporters (you too hits) would even show up in this thread.

Comment by heritage — November 14, 2007 @ 11:34 pm

I’ll address your last comment first. “This”, the rise of the neocons and the Bush administration, was a disaster before it began.

We can do much more than pray. We can write letters, protest, yell, scream, and vote. And, if their is any justice, we can try, convict, and punish the guilty. Then we can apologize to the entire world for several decades. With incredible good luck, and the forgiveness of good people everywhere, our great-grandchildren might be left a country worthy of love.

As for blaming possible use of anti-depressants for the suicide of psychological casualties; it’s inaccurate and unlikely. Anti-depressants have only been linked to suicide in those who are, already, “pathologically depressed”. Any competent doctor is aware of the risk and designs a treatment plan to prevent the, very slight, risk. These poor souls are victims of trauma exacerbated by a lack of care. And caring.

There are none so blind as those who will not see.
Comment by Zooey — November 14, 2007 @ 6:28 pm

Zooey’s reply is spot on, but I would like to add that this administration simply does not care–just as they don’t care about all the homeless vets, either. Remember the people Dumbya calls his “base” are “the haves and the haves more.”

There are none so blind as those who will not see.

“Veterans commit suicide because of issues they have. Many of the issues they have are a direct result of decisions that they have willfully made – like joining the military. Lots of other people commit suicide too, many for reasons that are outside their control. Maybe they need more of our sympathies than do the veterans?

Comment by hits — November 14, 2007 @ 4:36 pm”

However, this does bring up a point concerning conservatives and their lack of respect for the individual. It is always the individual’s fault.

1. Join the reserves and get put on stop loss to be sent on multiple tours to Iraq. (A use of the reserves and guards that has never been seen before. In Vietnam, they were not sent on successive deployments because the Democratic and Republican administrations brought in enough draftees and expanded the military.)

2. Refuse to expand the military as suggested by many Democrats such as Kerry and Republicans such as McCain. Don’t cry about it. You undertook the risk.

3. Fail to understand the difference in low intensity warfare in terms of stress on the troops. (In most previous wars – WWI, WWII, Korea and to an extent, Vietnam, there would be large violent battles with a lot of down time in between. This was caused by the necessity move troops, adjust battle lines and so forth.) The stress of constant ambushes, IED’s and attacks on bases makes this a 24/7 violence. The stress of small unit engagements and patrols as opposed to large formation engagements also causes additional stress. But note, the inability of our civilian military leaders to increase the military to permit appropriate rest for the troops simply means that it is the troops fault.

4. Most anomalous results have a root cause. A dramatic increase in suicides has something that causes it. It also forecasts significant problems for the battle worthiness of the military. This is more than twice the rate of suicide than for veterans of previous conflicts. Do the conservative wing nuts really believe that these are just inferior individuals who can not cope?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16272276

Let’s see the trolls blame Demond Mullins for his problems.

Comment by Bobwurst — November 14, 2007 @ 5:28 pm

I’m sorry to say that I agree with your conclusion. A certain portion of the returning vets will probably be less communicative (than if they hadn’t gone over there), more likely to abuse and less likely to thrive. That spells problems for decades. Thanks to the neo-cons and all of their enablers.

Why would the govt have to pay for schools, hospitals, universities and health services when you can pay the almighty war companies and enlist young, curious, excited, poor, or ignorant men and women in order to accomplish their economic goals, mostly overseas?

US is the only country in the world that I know that every two minutes there is a “Join the Army/Navy/Ranger/Marines” ad on TV.

Why offer those young people a chance to develop themselves if you can keep them stressed, disabled and forgotten once they have been employed? It is so much better to praise their lives and make corny movies about it than REALLY CARE about those young people, like giving them serious opportunities in life instead of Wal-Mart and Taco Bell.