In most news accounts about American casualties in Iraq, only the number of dead is listed. Another statistic is rarely mentioned, and that is the number of soldiers who have been wounded in Iraq, somewhere between twenty and forty-eight thousand. We don't like to talk about that. We instead say they're "injured," like a football player who twists his ankle. Sounds a little less serious, doesn't it? These "injured" soldiers always return to the U.S. under cover of darkness, and photographs are usually banned.
I saw one of these "injured" soldiers in Nazareth a few days ago. This young and athletic man had no right leg. He was wounded. Calling him "injured" insults what little intelligence I have left.
So far, Pennsylvania has lost 128 soldiers in Iraq, and seven of these were Lehigh Valley residents. But no statistics tell us exactly how many LV residents have been wounded. I guess they have to die to be noticed.
8 comments:
it sickens me to see all the wounded soldiers --many who have lost limbs or several limbs. I hear that the gov't is trying to weasel out of theri commitment to care for them long term. Every soldier who is wounded should have the same health plan that the members of congress enjoy. While these men and women are literally risking it all we've got representatives trying to seduce little boys. go figure!
War on the cheap. When our administration didn't care enough about soldiers to make sure they were properly armored, I guess it's no surprise that they will try to aviod caring for them.
One of my friends who was in the U.S. Marine Corps recieve shrapnel in his head and will most likely have permanent short-term memory loss. As I last heard, he was still trying to re-qualify so he could join his fellow soldiers back on the battlefield. His close friend died prior to him getting injured.
Another person I know who served in the U.S. Airforce served 4 years, unharmed (physically).
A life-long friend who served in the U.S. Army served 4 years, unharmed (physically).
My brother served 7 years in the U.S. Army, 4 years in Iraq and was unharmed.
The battlefield offers chance and luck. The position your in, the position the enemy is in. War only offers chance that you eliminate your target before he eliminates you. Chance in the fact that bullets tend to miss, persons miss or in the days of "whoever gets the first shot off".
I dont know if calling persons injured is correct when they have, such as, life long issues when it comes to missing an arm or a leg or in my friends case, life long short-term memory loss. Disabled should be used. Surely, they arent fully disabled, but if one suffers everyday from an injury then they are and should be called disabled. A person who is old and has sever arthritis in their knees is disabled. Why shouldnt a person who only has one knee be called disable instead of injured.
But to as your post, I feel that "injured" is when the person is obviously disabled is not only incorrect, but also insulting. Then again, telling a person that he/she is disabled when he/she believes they are injured will probably insult them.
To Anon 8:12, Thanks for your insight.
More kids die in Philly than in Iraq.
Philadelphia may be more dangerous than Iraq for certain demographics, but I think I'd take my chances there any day of the week. But then again, I love Philadelphia. Thanks for your comment.
Does anyone know how the casualty numbers break down? How many occurred in Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to the D.o.D.) and how many in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom)? Most news reports (and bloggers) conflate the two figures.
The D.o.D. has lists of all the American fatalities on its Web site, but does not break down the numbers. See http://www.defendamerica.mil/fallen.html.
This seems like nitpicking, but I'm sure it's disheartening for a soldier who has risked his life in Afghanistan to be congratulated on his service in Iraq. I've even heard of military units returning from oversees being greeted by elected officials who had no idea where the units had served.
The statistics on amputations and brain injuries are truly nauseating. See the attached report prepared for Congress in June by the Congressional Research Service: www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RS22452.pdf. We'll all be paying for this war financially for decades through the VA medical system, but it's only the service members and some contractors who are paying with their minds and bodies. My brother still suffers from a delusional disorder resulting from an injury he suffered when he parachuted into Panama in the 1980s with the 82d Airborne.
I think only combat veterans can truly understand the quagmire in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are a number of them now running for office as Democrats, including one in Bucks County. They've formed their own PAC. See http://vetpac.org/.
Rad, Thanks for such an informative comment. In addaition to the breakdown vis a vis Iraq and Afghanistan,it is really tought o get accurate figures. You rinfo is a great help. Thanks!
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