the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
Dec 3, 2007
According to a study reported by CBS News, 6,256 veterans from the U.S. army committed suicide in 2005. That means an average of 120 committed suicide every week.
This rate of suicide is twice that of the rest of the U.S. population. And the rate of suicide is even worse when looking at veterans in the age group from 20 to 24 years of age who had served in Afghanistan or in Iraq. For that age group, the rate of suicide was three to four times as bad as those the same age in the U.S. population.
This means that more vets killed themselves in this one year alone, 2005, than have been killed in both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars from the beginning up until now.
The U.S. army uses the most modern technology possible to protect the lives of its soldiers. But protection is relative, since no technology can protect against the traumatic effects of what soldiers in an army of occupation are ordered to do. When the war is dirty, no one involved can avoid getting dirty.
The chairman of a Senate committee on veterans said before this study came out: “For too many veterans the return home is not the end of the conflict.... Action is needed.”
Yes, action is needed! Stop this unjustifiable war immediately! Bring home these occupation troops who are destroying both the Iraqi people and themselves. Bring them home NOW!