This month
marks the ninth anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2001, U.S. military invasion
of Afghanistan, and begins the 10th year of our U.S. military occupation
there. The past year has been the deadliest year, so far, for U.S.
troops killed in action in Afghanistan. In addition, the number of
active-duty soldiers dying from suicide has exceeded the number of
active-duty soldiers being killed in action since last year, as reported
in January 2010. This is to be expected when troops have been sent off
to three, four, five, six and even seven tours of combat duty. U.S.
military veterans are committing suicide at the rate of 18 veterans per
day.
Traumatic brain injury is the "signature wound" for our combat troops,
while many others wounded in combat return as single or multiple
amputees requiring lifelong care. The number of homeless and
incarcerated military veterans in America is reaching all-time highs.
Epidemic levels of post-traumatic stress disorder have, in turn, led to
high incidences of alcoholism and drug abuse among our troops and
veterans. Military families are being broken up as spouses and children
have to endure multiple deployments of their loved ones, and, when the
troops do return home, the family members are often exposed to domestic
violence.
On the home front, the U.S. military occupations abroad are costing U.S.
taxpayers $7 billion per month, according to a recent article by
retired CIA analyst Philip Girardi in The American Conservative. That
translates into roughly $240 million per day ($10 million per hour) of
the U.S. taxpayers' money while Americans are losing their jobs and
their homes at record levels, post offices are closing, essential
services in cities and towns are being cut, schools are laying off
teachers and social services are being drastically cut.