VFA News Analysis: June 17, 2008

While there is debate about whether Iraq is at a crucial turning point, poised to emerge from the violence and form a stable republic or whether this is a mere lull in the ongoing cycle of bloodshed, there is little such discussion about Afghanistan. The fight against the Taliban, the original fight of the post-9/11 world, is far from simmering down. Taliban fighters are massing around Kandahar, Afghanistan’s second-largest city, just days after a brazen assault on a prison freed 400 insurgent fighters.

A bill now in Congress calls for more pre-deployment counseling to help prevent post-traumatic stress disorder. The measure would make Fort Carson, Colorado, and Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, test beds under the bill, introduced by Colorado Democrats Rep. Mark Udall and Rep. John Salazar.

Traumatic brain injury is a “silent epidemic” haunting our military, our military families and our nation. “We are looking at a very frightening situation,” according to one doctor who works with vets and their families.

Less than a year after his first deployment to Iraq ended, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kelly E.C. Watters was back fighting in Iraq. Today, we mourn the 19-year-old patriot who had already earned two Purple Hearts.

The war in Iraq continues, as do the deployments. Deployments. Deployments.

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