[Marxism] An aggressive anti-suicide policy in Iraq ?

["Jurriaan Bendien" <bendien@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At least 21 US troops have committed suicide in Iraq, a growing toll which
represents one in seven of American "non-hostile" deaths since the war began
last March, the Pentagon says. The Defence Department's top health official
said the military planned to deal with "battle stress" in Iraq more
aggressively than in past conflicts, such as the Vietnam War and the 1991
Gulf War.

"Fighting this kind of war is clearly going to be stressful for some
people," Assistant Defence Secretary for Health Affairs William Winkenwerder
said in an interview. "There have been about 21 confirmed suicides during
the past year associated with Operation Iraqi Freedom," Dr Winkenwerder
said, adding that 18 were army troops and three others were in the navy and
marines. The suicide toll was probably higher than 21, he added, because
some "pending" non-hostile death cases were still being investigated.

A total of 496 US troops have been killed since the war began last March,
343 of them in combat and 153 in non-hostile incidents ranging from
accidents to suicide. The 21 suicides so far represent nearly 14% of
non-hostile deaths, an increase over the proportion of 11% as of three
months ago, when the suicide number totalled 13. Dr Winkenwerder said in
response to questions that the armed services, including the army, were
moving aggressively to deal with stress management in Iraq and among troops
returning home. More than 300 troops had been evacuated from Iraq for
stress-related problems, a low figure compared with past wars, he said. -
Reuters (from the Otago Daily Times, New Zealand)




_______________________________________________
Marxism mailing list
Marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism