Cnn reports that 30% of all returning veterans of Iraq had developed mental health problems three to four months after coming home - and that's the official figure of the Army's Surgeon General.
Which sounds like quite a lot, but there's only less than 150,000 troops in Iraq, right?
Well no - because the war and occupation have been going on so long - and because of re-enlistment, stop loss and repeated rotations - there have been over one million US servicemen who have now served in Iraq. Well over 300,000 of those troops have been there more than once.
So 30% means over 300,000 servicemen with mental problems, up to 170,000 with full-blown Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - and that's not something the VA is ready to cope with. The House and Senate have only just agreed on an extra $1.6 billion for the VA after VA head honchos appointed by Bush greviously underestimated the amount of care returning servicemen would need. Some independent experts say they are already underfunded by at least another $2 billion for 2006. Meanwhile, shortages of cash and dumbass planning mean PTSD treatment programs such as the one in Waco, Texas are being closed.
Yet again, this administration shows how much it supports the troops - not a bit!
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