Mission Control – writing a Harvard thesis

Just finished watching Dr. Phil’s December show on wounded warriors. (Not a Dr. Phil fan but this was an important topic).  It’s immoral to spend 10 billion a month in Iraq and not spend enough money here to make the VA and related services the gold standard. Because this war is fought by a volunteer force, and with only 1% of the U.S. population in uniform,  it’s too easy to keep the consequences out of sight.

When Dr. Phil asked a rep from the VA to come on the show, the VA reneged after the Pentagon got wind of the show’s focus; after it asked for names of the soldiers who were being interviewed. The brass in the Pentagon didn’t have the guts to answer for certain policies or face the wounded vets and their families on the show. Fear of negative publicity comes before truly supporting the troops.  Instead of showing up, the Pentagon sent a “PR” letter saying what fabulous care the VA system and W. Reed deliver. Good grief. Don’t they get the Washington Post?  Is the leadership at the Pentagon either so insulated that they actually believe that drivel or do they think the American public is so gullible? Tammy Duckworth was more than willing on the show to say what a disgrace her own transition to civilian life was as she moved through the cold bureaucracy of the VA.  Duckworth, a former helicopter pilot, lost both legs in Iraq. Yet after she left W. Reed, the VA ongoing care office didn’t believe her until she showed the physician’s assistant who insisted on seeing for himself!

PTSD, post-traumatic stress syndrome, is occurring at a rate much higher than the VA will admit. They are being overwhelmed with the diagnosis so they are telling staff not to diagnose it.  Suicidal vets are told to fill out paperwork and wait weeks for an initial appointment. This is ludicrous.

It is the height of hypocrisy to spout “support the troops” as President Bush does as his “solemn pledge”, yet be blind to the vets and returning soldiers who are so clearly in need of real support, services, and ongoing health care. It seems Bush only cares about those soldiers who have all their limbs and faculties and who are ordered to stand behind him for a photo op. Unfortunately, he suffers from both attention deficit disorder and being a heartless superficial jerk.

This isn’t just up to the President, or the head of Walter Reed or a congressional committee on veterans affairs. It’s a matter for the American public to commit to as well.  How about writing your Congressional rep or senator? Or to the House Veterans Affairs committee or the Senate committee? Other places to add your voice or time:

Wounded Warriors, Community of Veterans, New England Center for Homeless Veterans, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

USA Today has a story on the new Status of Forces Agreement that will take effect in Iraq on January 1, 2009. It says that security contractors will no longer be allowed to carry certain kinds of weapons

As of Thursday, most foreign contractors will not be allowed to possess machine guns that fire .50-caliber bullets or larger. If they’re caught with such heavy weapons, Iraqi security forces will take them away.

That should be rich. I’d like to see a picture of that.

The article goes on to say

Iraqi police will be able to search the offices and vehicles of private security contractors, confiscate illegal weapons and expel companies operating without a license.

The article claims that the Ministry of Interior has denied Blackwater an operating license. That should create a problem for the State Dept. if it’s true and enforced.

General Odierno has began calling the Green Zone the “Iraqi Security Zone”.  Wonder if that will catch on?

Also, the State Dept. has a copy of its IG Report on its security contractors (Dec. 2008). The 44-page report updates the Kennedy Panel report from November 2007.  I’ll have to read this over a bit to comment. Happy to have it in time to include the info in my thesis.