Decades later, war's aftermath still is deadly

Decades later, war's aftermath still is deadly

By John MacCormack - Express-News HUE, Vietnam – During the Vietnam War, American bombers dropped millions of tons of ordnance on the country, exceeding the Allied bombardment during World War II.

Artillery units from both sides fired countless rounds of heavy munitions. Massive amounts of other explosives, from land mines to mortar rounds, also were expended in the conflict.

The munitions still haunt Vietnam. Since fighting stopped more than 30 years ago, more than 100,000 Vietnamese have been killed or injured by unexploded ordnance.

“The war has never ended for them. I had no idea of the incredible amount of unexploded ordnance. It was a real eye-opener,” Army veteran George Whitehouse said.

Whitehouse and a group of Americans are on a weeklong tour of Vietnam sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.

On Thursday, they toured Quang Tri Province, which has one of the highest concentrations of unexploded ordnance in the country, with an estimated 80 percent of the land affected.

The delegation, including Spurs chairman Peter Holt and retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey, saw firsthand the horrific after-affects of a bloody conflict that for United States combat forces ended in 1973.
read more here
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/81634087.html

Ret. General Barry McCaffery slams treatment of troops

House Committee U.S. Strategy in Iraq
Armed Services, Oversight and Investigations
Washington, District of Columbia (United States) Snyder, Vic
U.S. Representative, D-AR
Keane, John M.
Vice Chief of Staff (1999-2003), U.S. Army
McCaffrey, Barry R.
General (Ret.), U.S. Army
Hamre, John J.
President and CEO, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Kojm, Christopher A.
Professor, George Washington University, Elliott School of Intl. Affairs

A hearing was held on alternative strategies for post-surge operations in Iraq.

I still haven't gotten over losing my job and last night was no different in terms of falling asleep. A friend took me out for dinner and it reminded me of all the people I'm going to miss deeply. I was wide awake after 1:00 am, started channel surfing and ended up with CSPAN. I picked up the part of the House Subcommittee hearing on Iraq as General McCaffery was speaking. The military is broken, ten percent of the wavers given for undesirable recruits wouldn't have been possible before Iraq was invade and as McCaffery put it, they shouldn't be in the military at all. What a stunning statement to have made and yet ignored all throughout the day.

What are we thinking when we feel that we can pat any of those in charge on the back for failing the people we depend on the most? No one in Washington is doing anything about any of this. No one is holding Bush accountable for what he is doing to them. Now there is this report from Fort Carson.

Report: Troops to war despite broken leg, torn rotator cuffs
The Associated PressPosted : Thursday Jan 17, 2008 11:45:49 EST

DENVER — Soldiers who were medically unfit or considered borderline have been sent to the Middle East to meet Army goals for “deployable strength,” The Denver Post reported Thursday.
Quoting internal Army e-mails and a Fort Carson soldier, the newspaper said that more than 50 troops were deployed to Kuwait en route to Iraq while they were still getting medical treatment for various conditions. At least two have been sent home.
Capt. Scot Tebo, the surgeon for Fort Carson’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team, wrote in an e-mail obtained by the newspaper that “We have been having issues reaching deployable strength, and thus have been taking along some borderline soldiers who we would otherwise have left behind for continued treatment.”
Master Sgt. Denny Nelson said he was sent to Kuwait last month despite a severe foot injury. He was sent back to Fort Carson after a military doctor in Kuwait wrote that he never should have been shipped out.

go here for the rest
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/01/ap_sicktroops_080117/

McCaffery said the equipment is worn out and nothing has been invested in where the future threats will come from. This is not good at all and it's getting worse but the media has been too busy reporting on the presidential candidates instead of what all of them will face.
This is about the men and women who serve this nation. We should all be appalled when anyone stands up in front of a TV camera and utters the words "support the troops" because none of these people do when it really matters. They know it and do nothing about it other than ignore it. There are hearings going on all the time by elected trying to get to the bottom of what has happened and what can be done to fix it but you won't hear that out of anyone running for the presidency. The only one coming close to saying anything about the suffering of our veterans has been Edwards when he's been talking about the homeless veterans O'Reilly slammed him for.

No one is talking about them being sent back with PTSD and large supply of pills, or Ambien to help them sleep. No one is talking about the wounded being sent back when they have been termed injured enough to be provide a handicap parking permit. What are their values? What support do they really provide the troops and why the hell has Bush been able to get away with any of this while they are suffering? While their families suffer? While National Guard troops come back to no jobs and very little help?

This was a national disgrace, now it is an abomination.