DU, we need to keep the suicide story alive. We owe it to our soldiers

[alfredo]

Their suicides are a symptom of something going horribly wrong. Our men and women are trapped in an untenable situation. Even with the support of their comrades, it is an awful lot for a young mind to handle.

We need to use any tool we have to ensure they come home safe and soon. We need to take them out of a situation where they feel that suicide is the only solution.

We need to figure out how to discuss this topic. This could be a way to change minds , soften some hearts.

[Catherine Vincent]

1. All suicides are unthinkable but these suicides by our soldiers are beyond sad, imo.

It's like, there's no way out for them and they get desperate and end it themselves.

:cry:

[Dark]

6. The suicides of our soldiers are much worse

because, with just a swish of the president's pen, many of them could have been prevented.

[bdamomma]

9. this whole invasion is reprehensible, invading a totally innocent

country, and our soldiers have no hope left, all for cheney and *, criminals.

[Lint Head]

2. The USA is committing suicide by allowing the incompetent prick in the

White House stay there. :dem:

[babylonsister]

3. I agree and am trying; the numbers are outrageous:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1603122

[alfredo]

4. We know the people are fed up with the war, but the tipping point

for them is still not there. Could this be what spurs them into action? Let's make sure there is a dialog. Let's make it safe to speak about this and whatever comes after.

[Ilsa]

5. Yeah, it should go near or at the top of a very long list of

criminal, seditious, and harmful behavior on the part of the Bush Administration, including the Cabinet and underlings. Damn, it's a long list. KO mentioned one this evening: the recess appt of some RW bush-crony to the post of overseeing mine regulations, etc. We have the worst record of deaths in coal mines since the 1920s. Probably was on the news for 5 minutes when it happened, likely during a holiday since it was a recess appt.

[babylonsister]

8. Yes, the * tool, Stickler:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1593073

[EFerrari]

7. I couldn't agree more, my friend.

Those poor kids. It's enough to make a stone cry. :(

[EFerrari]

10. kick

[sanskritwarrior]

11. If 71 of the suicides for the current year sampled

are people who never deployed what does that have to do with the war..........just asking?

[Catherine Vincent]

12. Maybe they couldn't take the thought of being deployed?

Everyone knows (and sees) that Iraq is a mess.

[alfredo]

13. Never knowing when you will be called could wear on you. I remember

when I was waiting for my assignment. It was a forgone conclusion we were all going to Vietnam. We all requested Nam, we knew we were going. It was not a happy time even though we requested the assignment. I was nervous all the time. The waiting for our assignment was nerve wracking.

The rest of the story: we were all sent to Africa.

[sanskritwarrior]

14. That's just the point

unless you are just coming out of AIT, you have a 6 month timeframe when you know exactly when you are going and you are fairly certain of where........And that is the bare minimum......I am in the 5th SBCT, we have known since last year we were going to Iraq at the end of this year.......As far as I know no one has committed suicide in this brigade as it has been 278 days since we had a death in the brigade......(reason I know the exact number is that there is a sign that tracks days, every 100 days without a death our brigade gets a 4 day weekend.) It is incentive to police your buddies up on the weekend.

So I find it hard to believe not knowing would do it, since most of us have at least 180 days prior notice we are going........

Also how does the Army suicide rate compare with the civilian rate, I would be most interested to know this......

[alfredo]

15. I can see that the regular Army knows up front, but a guardsman

or reservist won't know until orders come down.

[sanskritwarrior]

16. Yes and then that Guard or Reserve unit

has a train-up time from the mobilization date to get prepared to go to Iraq. It's not like they call the Guard unit and say "next week you are going to Iraq"........Let's use the 116th Armored Brigade of Idaho as an example. They were mobilized in April 2004, they did not set foot in Iraq until October 2004.....They had 6 months of training to get ready for the deployment.

Again not being snippy but there is no truth to the fact that many guardsmen are cught unawares about deployments.....Granted it does happen to individual soldiers but in very tiny numbers.......

[alfredo]

17. I know that. but it is those times before the call up. You can't really plan long term, or

plan long term, or make big purchases like a home or car. The way it is now, these citizen soldiers are waiting for the other shoe to drop.

[Mutineer]

18. Self-delete. Dup

[Mutineer]

19. It was on the front page of the two papers I read per day

hard copies of papers. Right there, front and center.