.
The article is inaccurate and illogical.....128 suicides in 2008 is NOT higher than the "combined number of active-duty soldiers combat deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan" in 2008.

Sad as today's shooting of 5 American soldiers by a fellow soldier (details and speculative motive unavailable, at this time) is; these acts of violence and murder are common place crimes throughout the United States of America.

The United States of America leads the world in daily murders.

This should be an over all discussion of the primative state of Mental Health Care in the United States. Prevention and Treatment of Mental Illness is a very low priority in our violent society. It has almost no significance , no dollars in the Defense Budget.

The U.S. is a violent and brutal society by choice !!!!!!!!

,

I agree that we need to offer better mental health treatment and increased access for soldiers (and all of society) AND that we should not be sending at risk young men and women into war in the first place (I know too many who were accepted and never should have been). But you misstate the article. Please re-read. It states: "In *January,* the Army reported more active-duty soldiers had committed suicide than died in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. The Army's suicide rate for 2008 (128) was the highest in 28 years."

First the article mentions the rates for suicide vs. combat deaths in the month of January. Then it states the suicide rate in '08 was the highest in 28 yrs. Both of these stats are true. I understand how you could confuse the last paragraph, but pls be careful so you don't misquote articles, etc.

All that can be said is that "it's about time". Now perhaps several thousand other soldiers pointed their weapons at the real enemy and pulled the trigger, I'd say that it all be over in two or three days and peace would prevail, aim high fellows, the higher you hit the more effect. Get a few of their children that usually weakens them some...

The Bush Administration was not satisfied sacrificing Afghan lives they had to use the Iraqis and our troops as decoys for the terrorists thirst for blood.

That war was a war crime! The millions of people in Iraq, soldiers and civilians whose bodies were mutilated, killed,and who became mentally ill from the massive horror of war,when there were no weapons of mass destruction or a connection to the terrorist until we invaded and opened the boarders, was an atrocity beyond torture.

We are told over and over again how the previous administration kept us safe since 9-11. They took the war to a country that was not involved and sacrificed Iraqis and soldiers lives in our place.Millions of us went out on the streets to protest that war but they did not listen. They are not listening still.