Defending the Truth

People talk about whether or not you have to have served in the military to form an opinion on war. And I agree you shouldn't have to serve in the military to form an opinion on war...

However, I think we should personally give each Congress member who voted to cut this following funding a concusion before they should be allowed to vote on it...

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Congress appears ready to slash funding for the research and treatment of brain injuries caused by bomb blasts, an injury that military scientists describe as a signature wound of the Iraq war.
House and Senate versions of the 2007 Defense appropriation bill contain $7 million for the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center — half of what the center received last fiscal year.

Proponents of increased funding say they are shocked to see cuts in the treatment of bomb blast injuries in the midst of a war.
....

George Zitnay, co-founder of the center, testified before a Senate subcommittee in May that body armor saves troops caught in blasts but leaves many with brain damage. "Traumatic brain injury is the signature injury of the war on terrorism," he testified.

Zitnay asked for $19 million, and 34 Democratic and six Republican members of Congress signed a letter endorsing the budget request.
....

Scientists at the center develop ways to diagnose and treat servicemembers who suffer brain damage. The work is done at seven military and Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals, including the center's headquarters at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, and one civilian treatment site.

The center has clashed with the Pentagon in recent months over a program to identify troops who have suffered mild to moderate brain injuries in Iraq from mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and roadside bombs — the most common weapons used by insurgents.

Preliminary research by the center shows that about 10% of all troops in Iraq, and up to 20% of front line infantry troops, suffer concussions during combat tours. Many experience headaches, disturbed sleep, memory loss and behavior issues after coming home, the research shows.

The center urged the Pentagon to screen all troops returning from Iraq in order to treat symptoms and create a database of brain injury victims. Scientists say multiple concussions can cause permanent brain damage.

The Pentagon so far has declined to do the screening and argues that more research is needed.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washing...n-center_x.htm

So let's get this straight...

Republicans support our troops (according to their own claims) and democrats do not...

But in a republican dominated congress, almost SIX TIMES as many democrats over republicans signed a letter endorsing a good chunk of change to help our troops with brain injuries...

And the pentagon wants more research before it will screen troops for these injuries...
(Ignoring the fact that screening the troops for head injuries CAN BE A PART OF that research...)

seems fucked up tp me

If anybody wants to "support" our troops, THIS is part of what they would concern themselves with.

Not just nice little goody baskets to send them, but not letting our Congress show their blatant disdain for the well-being of our troops.

Now THIS is hypocrisy.

I agree with you guys. This is wrong. Our troops should have the best. I support it.

Anybody have a bill number? I'd like to see the votes.. only 40 for this, the rest against... grrrrrrrr.

Maybe some famous celebrity would do a fundraiser for the Brain Injury Center. If our lousy Congress won't support this, maybe we should just walk all over them and do it ourselves!!!

There's at least one celebrity who has been working on another aspect of the "head injury" thing. Another area where our Republican laden congress has been ignoring the needs of our boys over-seas.
Of course, we should blame the damn liberals, shouldn't we?
Yeah. It's the f#%@ing liberals who are to blame for not supporting our troops.

Good thing we have our ultra-conservative, religious right Cher to help out...

CHER: Hi, I have called you before, and I’m going to try to be really calm while I’m talking about this, but I have to say, this regime is -- I’ve been alive for 11 presidents. I have never seen anything like this in my life. I belong to an organization called operation helmet. And these people. The so-called Christian republicans have sent the men and women of our armed forces into battle without the proper helmets. They don't even have the Kevlar inserts. I would like to read something, if you would let me, from one of the soldiers, he said: "Hi, my name is Corporal __, I am in the U.S. marine’s third battalion, 4th marine’s weapons company. Thank you for this endeavor it's truly great what you guys are doing. I have been in Iraq twice, we are slated to go back, almost all of our senior guys are getting out. We have around 80% new guys in deployment. We do not have -- we don't have the armor for our hmvs. We also have had to use old helmets, and we would truly appreciate it if you could donate this to our cause because there are so many men who are getting -- there are so many men who are having head wounds. And we would appreciate it if you could please help us buy these inserts." so I just don't understand how this government can send men into war without the proper helmets, without the proper armor for their humvees.

And I have personally helped this Dr. Meader with his operation helmet; gather $116,000 so that we could publicly do what the army is not doing. I am sorry I’m emotional about this, I am so pissed off at these people. I have finally just had enough of them.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1655373/posts

Streisand is too busy. She's doing benefit concerts this fall for Al Gore and his phoney baloney global warming crap. Maybe Michael Moore could host a weenie roast. Naw, forget that. He'd eat everything and there'd be nothing to sell.