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Sadly, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs stated Wednesday there is no end in site to the U.S. fighting in the Middle East – specifically Afghanistan, (Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia et al).
The innocents are the worry of many. CODEPINK issued the following:“After eight years of U.S. military presence, Afghan women told us more troops will just mean more civilian deaths and more Taliban,” not to mention more US casualties, more devastated families in both countries. “Afghan women want peace talks and economic development, not endless war.”
“We were told most men join the Taliban out of economic desperation; providing jobs will do more for security then spending billions on more troops. It’s time to change our military focus to a focus on improving the health, education and welfare of the Afghan people.”
They only met with women from Afghanistan, Pakistan and India to discuss issues of peace. The women–including members of Parliament, Dr. Roshnak Wardak and Shukria Barakzai; Suraya Parlika of the Afghan Women’s Network, and businesswoman Wazhma Karzai, President Karzai’s sister-in-law–signed a letter asking Obama to focus on economic needs in Afghanistan, not war.Not only that, more than 800 of America’s youngest soldiers have died in the region we attacked on a “War on Terror” soon after al Quaida bombed America Sept. 11, 2001.
Whether President Barack Obama will increase troops levels beyond the 68,000 already there, will be discussed at a straedgy meeting this week. On-the-ground military leaders want 40,000 more.
Consider that CBS News reported this week there are 146,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, AND another 160,000 “contractors,” meaning mercenaries. Yesterday, we ‘celebrated’ our ninth year in Iraq – easily outpacing the Vietnam War.
While death numbers are considered low, considered the other causalities these war(s) on Terror have produced, not to mention the thousands of innocent civilians – women and children in the war-torn regions. There are easily a million or so amputees, and more than half a million soldiers returning home with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).What better time than to review the services we have in place for those returning heroes? Although health-care reform is holding mainstream media headlines, the Veterans Affairs is gearing up to handle the influx of returning troops. There have been reports of medical-breakthroughs on prosthetic arms and legs yet slowed by funding and testing.Unfortunately, it also has been reported there is a six-month wait for soldiers to be tested for PTSD. Suicides are on the increase, and jails are filling up with veterans, as are our streets as the homeless population swells with younger soldiers unable to make it in the civilian world once they return.I would imagine any soldier returning from a war zone probably has PTSD. Therapists say a soldier should spend at least the same amount of time in therapy as he was in the traumatic situation i.e. war. Over the past few weeks, I have learned of a variety of treatments ranging from hyperbaric chambers to body movement, and fast-paced, yet traditional therapeutic counseling.While I have no immediate family members participating in the world’s conflicts, as a Navy veteran, I am connected to the troops. Fortunate to serve during peace-time, I feel a responsibility to help in any way I can, yet I don’t know how my assistance will materialize.America has a duty to the soldiers – to ensure help is available now. Relieving reserve forces could probably been done by allowing gays to serve. Hopefully, the war doesn’t escalate to a point where the draft has to be initiated.By the way, Citizenship Day was Sept. 17, and since 9/11, 52,000 immigrants (part of the U.S. troop force) have taken the citizenship oath to become Americans. 

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