Just finished reading an article on the Huffington Post online news source. American veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, commit suicide at the rate of one every 80 minutes...or 18 suicides every 24 hours.
Dr.Margaret C. Harrell and Nancy Berglass sifted through the Veterans Association records to get these numbers, and are campaigning for much greater care to be given to returning soldiers.
The number of suicides reported while on active duty are in the order of 1 every 36 hours.
There are only 16 states that are currently providing this kind of information, and it is not up to date. So up to date and complete information is not available on soldiers who die on this side of the ocean.
There are a huge number of vets of all nationalities, going home with post traumatic stress syndrome and the newly discovered brain damage from being exposed to the shock waves of huge IED blasts. More soldiers are coming back with illnesses related to exposure to toxic elements in the war environment, from feces/garbage burning pits to munitions handling.
1.5 trillion dollars ( so far ) in ten years for two wars, not counting the cost of caring for the returning wounded and maimed. Estimates are the final bill could be 2.5 trillion dollars. If you dip into a history book or two, there have been many countries, republics and monarchies brought to their knees, by the cost of the wars they waged.
What exactly did we all get for that kind of money? I would love to hear the answer to that one. "Yes,we spent 2.5 trillion dollars on war, in a time of economic and social upheaval, but look at the bright side.......
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