The democrats do not like the war but unclear on how to stop it. That is because most people do not want the war but they do not want to cut funding for the troops. I think everyone feels that Bush will send more troops and maintain the ones that are already there even when the funds are cut off. This would put the guys on the field at serious risks. The public is naturally fearful of this possibility.

The Washington Post expose tells us all that the veterans who are hurt seriously are not given the care they deserve. The substandard care they are given is deplorable. After the expose, the army did take on some mop up operation, but then we find out that they are forcing these veterans to wake up at 6:00AM and leave their rooms for inspection. Is it a revenge against the soldiers who spoke to the press? Definitely looks like it. What came as a shock to many citizens of America was a well know fact to many organizations that fight for veterans causes like “Veterans for America“, and “Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America“. I got a chance to watch Bob Woodruff’s special “From Iraq and Back” on ABC news website. In this special we got to see how difficult life is for the seriously injured veterans. The VA system is overwhelmed by the exodus of injured from the Iraq and the Afghanistan wars. The defense department puts the number of injured at 23,000 while the veterans administration shows records of treating more than 200,000 from these two wars. The war is completely sanitized and we are not given the real picture. The media is finally flashing the spotlight on the veterans plight and that is extremely helpful in giving these veterans what they rightfully deserve for the enormous sacrifice they have made for their country. I read this wonderful article on the Veterans for America website and I recommend taking a look at it. This article highlights the fundamental question that people must be asking about what the nation owes to these brave people who serve. It is a great piece and it makes you aware that once soldiers are injured and off the field their life becomes a war against the bureaucracy to get the health care and rehabilitation services that they are entitled to. The Woodruff special on ABC shines a light on the struggles these brave soldiers and their families have to go through after having served their country honorably. It makes us angry to know that many in army management knew about the bad conditions since 2003. There is a wonderful article about this very fact by Mark Benjamin on salon.com and it is worth reading.

Irrespective of how people feel about the war; people are unanimous in supporting the troops. The democrats must make it their priority to introduce legislation that guarantees the long term health care (physical and mental) for the injured veterans. Sen Obama and Sen McCaskill are drafting legislation to prevent a repeat of Building 18 situation across Walter Reed. That is a good first step. They must take the veterans issues and deliver them the dues that they well deserve. They can get a good number of republicans to back them on this. Many of the people without limbs, TBI (traumatic brain injuries ) and PTSD have had their lives totally thrown off course as a result of this war. It is the duty of the members of congress to put these lives back on track to the best of their ability. They must be given a chance to live a dignified life after making such an enormous sacrifice. The nation owes them. Many in the administration say they support the troops but cut the budgets for veterans in their actions.

The administration’s lack of post war planning is the primary reason for the current state of affair. They VA system was not sufficiently bolstered for the influx of amputees, and TBI soldiers they would have to handle. People must not rely only on their newspaper and cable news to get their information; they should visit many of the veterans web sites that I mentioned earlier to get the full information. I am very glad that the Washington Post’s report on Walter Reed and the Woodruff special came out this week. In spite of seeing all the horrors we have come to witness; the good here is that people are becoming aware of the human cost of war. It is something the administration is kept under lock and key but now the genie is out of the bottle and thanks to all who were instrumental in doing that.

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