When people, especially those in the corporate media, discuss the costs of the war in Iraq, it most often seems to address either the monetary cost or the number of American troops killed. After the blithe promises of a war paid for entirely by Iraqi oil revenues, the monetary cost of the war is really outrageous. The number of Americans killed is a heart-sickening tragedy (even though that number is dwarfed by the number of Iraqi civilians killed).
But in one of the most gut-wrenching good news/bad news situations ever, improvements in medical care for wounded troops has dramatically reduced the percentage of combat wounds resulting in death. That’s the good news part. The bad news is that those whose lives have been saved now face life with horrific damage to their bodies and psyches, years upon years of overcoming daunting physical obstacles and the associated emotional difficulties including PTSD.
As if that weren’t enough, the Bush administration has used the troops as public relations props again and again, while pulling truly despicable stunts designed to go unnoticed. Here’s the latest via Hilzoy:
From the LATimes, another story about the Bush administration deciding to nickel-and-dime wounded veterans:
“Marine Cpl. James Dixon was wounded twice in Iraq — by a roadside bomb and a land mine. He suffered a traumatic brain injury, a concussion, a dislocated hip and hearing loss. He was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Army Sgt. Lori Meshell shattered a hip and crushed her back and knees while diving for cover during a mortar attack in Iraq. She has undergone a hip replacement and knee reconstruction and needs at least three more surgeries.
In each case, the Pentagon ruled that their disabilities were not combat-related.
Words fail me to describe how disgusting and hypocritical this kind of maneuvering is. You deliberately mislead people into believing that they are serving the interests of their country by going to war, and then brush them aside when they are grievously wounded. Grrrrrrr.
That is just wrong. Moreover, it’s also wrong to make disabled vets jump through hoops in order to get the benefits they’re entitled to. If you’ve been blown up by an IED, our government should do you the courtesy of allowing you to concentrate on healing your wounds and moving on, not on arguing with them about whether your disability was “combat-related.”
Tags: Iraq, military, republican hypocrisy
