WAR ECONOMY: Growing Number of Vets View Iraq/Afghanistan as MISTAKES

9
2002

by Robert L. Hanafin

My apologies if someone beat me to the punch on posting this latest Pew Research Poll showing that 1 out of 3 Post-911 Veterans now view Iraq & Afghanistan as MISTAKES and a WASTE OF MONEY AND LIVES.

The ratio appears to only differ slightly from how a growing number of civilians are now able to connect the dots between over a trillion dollars wasted on wars and the melt down of the US Economy and growing UNEMPLOYMENT.

ROBERT L. HANAFIN, Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired, U.S. Civil Service-Retired, Veterans Issues Editor, VT News

Poll: 1 in 3 vets sees Iraq, Afghan wars as wastes

By ROBERT BURNS – AP National Security Writer 

One in three U.S. veterans of the post-9/11 military believes the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not worth fighting, and a majority think that after 10 years of combat America should be focusing less on foreign affairs and more on its own problems, according to an opinion survey released last Wednesday.

The findings highlight a dilemma for the Obama administration and Congress as they struggle to shrink the government’s huge budget deficits and reconsider defense priorities while trying to keep public support for remaining involved in Iraq and Afghanistan for the longer term.

Nearly 4,500 U.S. troops have died in Iraq and about 1,700 in Afghanistan. Combined war costs since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks have topped $1 trillion.

I believe it has been recognized that the U.S. Economy remains a Casualty of War since at least 17 July 2005 that’s over six years ago. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan already cost U.S. taxpayers, directly or indirectly on loan, $314 billion, and the Congressional Budget Office projected additional expenses of perhaps $450 billion by 2015. That could make the combined campaigns, especially the war in Iraq, the most expensive military effort in the last 60 years, causing even some conservative experts to criticize the open-ended commitment to an elusive goal.

The concern is that the soaring costs, given little weight before now, could play a growing role in U.S. strategic decisions because of the fiscal impact. Before Osama bin Laden was assassinated, Michael Scheuer, a former counter-terrorism official at the CIA who led the pursuit of bin Laden and retired in 2005 after writing two books critical of the Clinton and Bush administrations said that:  “Osama (bin Laden) doesn’t have to win; he will just bleed us to death. Bin Laden was…well on his way to doing [that]” six years before his death.

The current poll results presented by the Pew Research Center portray post-9/11 veterans as proud of their work, scarred by warfare and convinced that the American public has little understanding of the problems that wartime service has created for military members and their families.

The survey also showed that post-9/11 veterans are more likely than Americans as a whole to disapprove of President Barack Obama’s performance as commander in chief. They also are more likely than earlier generations of veterans to have no religious affiliation.

I believe it is questionable how this, or any other poll, determined how Post 911 Vets call themselves Republicans. Simple criticism of Obama continuing the Pentagon policies of George W. Bush does not mean younger Vets are registered Republicans. In fact, as the homecoming experience of our Viet Nam War generation reflects the vast number of Vets returning from Viet Nam were if anything apolitical not trusting in either religion or any political party.

I believe political awareness or even caring and paying attention came as our generation aged. Yes, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans groups who have formed since 911 tend to be more politically minded than past generations, however playing politics crosses ideological positions. However, I do believe that our military officer corps tends to be more conservative than the NCO, and especially the lower enlisted. That said, it is difficult to ascertain the political affiliation or leanings of our NCOs or lower enlisted due to Hatch Act, and privacy issues.

Our military tends to also be overall a conservative leaning institution by necessity but that does not mean Vets of any generation are going to immediately be politically active once they are no longer under control of the Pentagon. I still believe that the political activism or action of younger Vets will be more a factor of age and maturity rather than their veteran status.

The Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan organization that studies attitudes and trends, called the study the first of its kind. The results were based on two surveys conducted between late July and mid-September. One polled 1,853 veterans, including 712 who had served in the military after 9/11 but are no longer on active duty. Of the 712 post-9/11 veterans, 336 served in Iraq or Afghanistan. The other polled 2,003 adults who had not served in the military.

Nearly half of post-9/11 veterans said [multiple] deployments strained their relationship with their spouses, and a similar share reported problems with their children. On the other hand, 60 percent said they and their families benefited financially from having served abroad in a combat zone. Asked for a single word to describe their experiences, the war veterans offered a mixed picture: “rewarding,” ”nightmare,” ”eye opening,” ”lousy” according to the Pew Research.

There are about 98,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, where the conflict began with a U.S.-led invasion on Oct. 7, 2001. Obama campaigned for the presidency in 2008 on getting out of Iraq and curtailing the military campaign in Afghanistan. He is on track to have all U.S. troops out of Iraq by the end of this year, and in July he announced that he would pull 10,000 troops out of Afghanistan this year and 23,000 more by next September.

I believe that with the exception of young Vet groups like Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) that fielded primarily Democrat candidates (via their PAC VoteVets) has until recently had closer ties with the Democrat Party.

IAVA took point in endorsing the Obama buildup in Afghanistan while Peace Vets and Military Families that were part of the liberal base of the Democrat Party cautiously criticized any escalation in Afghanistan.

Once realization set in that love ones would simply end up deploying from one war zone to another  the focus of opposition and questioning shifted away from Iraq to Afghanistan.

Despite US troops continuing to deploy to Iraq. We at VT believe that unless Obama does something significant like pulling most US troops out of Afghanistan now, Obama can write off much of the liberal base of the Democrat party. The same reasons the Democrats lost Congress will return to haunt Obama in 2012 as those opposed to wasting more money on Iraq and Afghanistan sit the 2012 election out.

The Pew survey found that veterans are ambivalent about the net value of the wars, although they generally were more positive about Afghanistan, which has been a more protracted but less deadly conflict for U.S. forces. One-third of post-9/11 veterans said neither war was worth the sacrifices; that was the view of 45 percent in the separate poll of members of the general public.

Fifty percent of veterans said Afghanistan was worth it, whereas the poll of civilians put it at 41 percent. Among veterans, 44 percent said Iraq was worth it. That compares with 36 percent in the poll of civilians.

Of the surveyed former service members who were seriously wounded or knew someone who was killed or seriously wounded, 48 percent said the war in Iraq was worth fighting, compared with 36 percent of those veterans who had no personal exposure to casualties.

Exposure to casualties had an even larger impact on attitudes toward the war in Afghanistan. Fifty-five percent of those exposed to casualties said Afghanistan has been worth the cost to the U.S., whereas 40 percent of those who were not exposed to casualties held that same view.

The Pew survey results found “isolationist inclinations” among post-9/11 war veterans. About 6-in-10 said the United States should pay less attention to problems overseas and instead concentrate on problems at home. In a Pew survey conducted earlier this year, a similar share of the general public agreed.

The survey also reflected what many view as a troublesome cultural gap between the military and the general public. Although numerous polls have shown that Americans hold the military in high regard, the respondents in the Pew research acknowledged a lack of understanding of what military life entails.

I believe it is this very cultural gap created by the All Volunteer Force that has given not only children of the elite, but upper and lower middle class American youth in general a get out of the wars free card simply by choosing to not volunteer.

Using the same VOLUNTEERS over and over and over is not holding our military in high regard but patronizing and exploiting those who VOLUNTEER for multiple deployments. In the future, if the number of VOLUNTEERS shrink to the point where the draft would be given serious consideration the cultural gap between those who refuse to serve and those who volunteer to defend those who refuse to serve will widen to the point that our All Volunteer Force will be permanently broken and isolated from the rest of American society even more than they have been.

Only 27 percent of adult civilians said the public understands the problems facing those in uniform, and the share of veterans who said so is even lower — 21 percent.

I think the wrong question is being asked. What percentage of adult civilians really have a desire to relate to, let alone understand, those who volunteer for military service.

What is most important is finding out the real reasons why the American public does not understand the problems facing those in uniform.

RELATED MEDIA COVERAGE

House members call for end to wars on eve of 10th anniversary of Afghanistan

The Hill (blog) – Pete Kasperowicz

Several members of the House marked the 10-year anniversary of US military operations in Afghanistan by calling for an end to that war and others, arguing that doing so is the best way to reduce the US budget
NPR – Tom Bowman – ‎
I’ve often speculated could we have fought wars for 10 years if this was a draftee army and I doubt it,” he says. The strategy of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is also a cause for disagreement between the civilians and veterans polled.
New York Times (blog) – Marjorie Connelly – ‎Oct 4, 2011‎
As the war in Afghanistan reaches its 10th anniversary, two national surveys reveal an American public that thinks the United States should not be fighting in Afghanistan and the war has not been worth it.
Overheard on CNN.com: The cost of recent wars too much
CNN (blog) sadtosay said, “Incredibly the war in Afghanistan has less clear goals than that of the Iraq war. Ten years is a long time I still don’t know what the benefit was other than filling the pockets of war profiteers.”
CNN – Moni Basu
Some of those costs were outlined in the Pew study, which comes out as the United States marks the 10th anniversary Friday of the Afghanistan conflict, the longest-running war in the nation’s history. For instance, four of every 10 veterans reported
Christian Science Monitor – Brad Knickerbocker – ‎8 hours ago‎
Friday marks 10 years anniversary since US combat began in Afghanistan, the longest period of sustained combat in American history. On one important thing, civilians and returning service members agree: Most (about 60 percent) have “isolationist
Politico – Mj Lee – ‎19 hours ago‎
Only one in three veterans think the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were worth fighting, according to a new poll Wednesday. As the US marks the 10th anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan this week, 34 percent of post-Sept.
Montreal Gazette – ‎20 hours ago‎
US Army soldiers salute during the national anthem during the an anniversary ceremony of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 on September 11, 2011 at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. A third of Americans who served in the military following the
Link Savoie: Honor fallen Afghanistan and Iraq war veterans now
Shreveport Times – ‎Oct 4, 2011‎
Works Act of 1986 prohibits new war memorials on the Washington, DC, Mall until at least 10 years after “the officially designated end.” This information is based on a story from a veterans magazine on the 10th anniversary of the Afghanistan war.
Pew Research Center – ‎Oct 4, 2011‎
As the United States marks the 10th anniversary of the longest period of sustained warfare in its history, the overwhelming majority of veterans of the post-9/11 era (96%) are proud of their military service. At the same time, more than four-in-ten
Pew Research Poll: 34% of Post 9/11 Vets Say War Is Worth It
KCEN-TV – Ashley Goudeau
We’re just two days away from the 10th anniversary of the longest period of sustained warfare in US history, and according to a new poll, only one-third of post 9/11 veterans think both the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have
Outside the Beltway – ‎16 hours ago‎
“One in three US veterans of the post-9/11 military believes the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not worth fighting, and a majority think that after 10 years of combat America should be focusing less on foreign affairs and more on its own problems,
TPMDC – Kyle Leighton
In a wide-ranging study surveying US veterans, the Pew Research Center documented the attitudes of service members who were involved in the conflicts associated with the War On Terror over the last ten years and those who served before it.
Lives altered by 10 years of war in Afghanistan
Seattle Post Intelligencer – Sharon Cohen – ‎1 hour ago‎
Photo: Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, John Bowersmith / AP Ten years after America began its war in Afghanistan, the decade can be measured by different yardsticks: Dollars. Deployments. Deaths. Or maybe this striking fact: Some soldiers have childhood
Lives altered by 10 years of war in Afghanistan
CBS News
(AP) Ten years after America began its war in Afghanistan, the decade can be measured by different yardsticks: Dollars. Deployments. Deaths. Or maybe this striking fact: Some soldiers have childhood memories of when the fighting began.
Huffington Post (blog)
“If you can save a life in Afghanistan, you can save a life in an ambulance in Wyoming. If you can oversee millions of dollars of assets in Iraq, you can help a business balance its books here at home,” President Obama said in August when announcing
1 in 3 vets: Iraq, Afghan wars a waste
CBS News
[Veterans believe] the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not worth fighting, and a majority think that after 10 years of combat America should be focusing less on foreign affairs and more on its own problems, according to an opinion survey released
NPR (blog) – Korva Coleman
And the disparity may be tied to the attention civilians pay to the battles in Afghanistan and Iraq. The report finds over the last two years, about a quarter of Americans said they paid close attention to either war.
Veterans say wars weren’t worth it
RT
Those surveyed were asked if both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars were worth fighting, taking into account the results thus far — wars gone on for ten years’ time and at a cost of insurmountable deaths. Officially, more than 6000 American troops have
Veterans proud but struggling in civilian life, poll says
USA Today – Gregg Zoroya – ‎Oct 4, 2011‎
about 2000 members of the public, highlighted the differing views between the general public and service members over the sacrifices of the 10-year conflict. About half of the public surveyed say troops and their families have made more
Iraq, Af wars not worth it: US vets
Times of India
More than 4400 US troops have been killed in Iraq and almost 1700 killed in Afghanistan, Pentagon figures show. Taking each war individually , 50% of veterans said the Afghanistan war has been worth fighting and 44% said the same thing about the Iraq
BBC News
About six out of 10 veterans said the US should focus less on foreign affairs and more on its own problems. Half of post-9/11 veterans thought the Afghan war worth it, while 44% said the same of the Iraq conflict. Among members of the general public,
Poll: 1/3 of veterans who served post 9/11 say Iraq, Afghanistan wars worth it
New York Daily News – Aliyah Shahid
That number is slightly above the 28% of the general public who say the wars are worth fighting. The statistics come as the US marks 10 years of war in Afghanistan — the longest period of sustained fighting in its history — this week.
Washington Post (blog) – Jason Ukman – ‎Oct 4, 2011‎
US soldiers seal off a village in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province. (Romeo Gacad — AFP/Getty Images) After 10 years of war, the vast majority of post-Sept. 11 veterans say the public does not understand the problems faced by those in the
Third of vets say Iraq, Afghan wars not ‘worth it
AFP
When the wars were taken individually, 50 percent said the Afghanistan war was worth fighting and 44 percent said the Iraq war was worth it. In all cases, support for the wars was higher among the veterans than among the general US public,
Many US veterans say Iraq, Afghan wars not worth it
Arab News
In comparison, 41 percent of the US public found the Afghanistan war worth the costs and 36 percent believed the Iraq war was worthwhile. Among the post-9/11 veterans, 34 percent held the view that both of the wars were worthwhile, compared to 28 …
Widespread mental health conditions reported in returning war vets
Kansas City Star – David Goldstein – ‎Oct 4, 2011‎
Among those were 298 war-zone suicides, according to the study. Overall, it reported 2300 active-duty suicides since 2001. Underscoring the stress of 10 years of war, suicides exceeded deaths in combat in 2009. The study said that nearly 1 million
Study: A fifth of war veterans have mental health issues
Kansas City Star – David Goldstein – ‎Oct 4, 2011‎
Among those were 298 war-zone suicides, according to the study. Overall, it reported 2300 active-duty suicides since 2001. Suicides have been a persistent problem, underscoring the stress that 10 years of war have placed on the troops as a result of
Wars In Iraq And Afghanistan Not Worth Fighting
News Box – Jerry White – ‎13 hours ago‎
According to a poll by the Pew Research Center, one in three US veterans believes the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not worth fighting. 4500 US troops have died in Iraq and about 1700 in Afghanistan during 10 years of wars with costs reaching $1
Most of Post-9/11 Vets Polled Say US Must Focus Less on Foreign Wars
The New American – Raven Clabough – ‎7 hours ago‎
According to a recent opinion survey, one in three US veterans of the post-9/11 military believe the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are not worth fighting, and a majority of those questioned said that after 10 years of military engagement in the Middle
Christian Post – Amanda Winkler, Christian Post
Over the last 10 years, approximately 4500 US troops have died in Iraq and about 1700 have died in Afghanistan. Combined war costs over the years are estimated to be more than $1 trillion. The survey also showed that post-9/11 veterans are more likely
Half of post-9/11 veterans say use of force to fight terrorism only breeds …
Catholic Online – ‎8 hours ago‎
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM) The US wars in both Afghanistan and Iraq have dragged on for 10 years. Despite current presidential promises that troops will be shortly withdrawn, a Pew Research Poll finds that many of those who have served in the
Pew Social and Demographic Trends – ‎Oct 4, 2011‎
About six-in-ten post-9/11 veterans (59%) support the noncombat “nation-building” role the military has taken on in Iraq and Afghanistan. The public and pre-9/11 veterans are less enthused. Just 45% of both groups say they think this is an appropriate
KPBS
Half of those vets polled say the war in Afghanistan was worth fighting. A soldier’s point of view is unimportant. Their obligation is to fight where told and do what they’re told. That’s the life of a soldier. They knew this when they signed up and
Criticism of Obama to Increase as Vets, Public Side Against Wars?
Christian Post – Herbert Pinnock, Christian Post – ‎9 hours ago‎
This past July, in a prime time speech to the nation, President Obama declared that he would “remove 10000 of our troops from Afghanistan by the end of this year, and we will bring home a total of 33000 troops by next summer.” Recently, in her opening
SodaHead News – ‎25 minutes ago‎
by SodaHead News Posted October 06, 2011 05:00:13 (just now) According to a recent Pew Research Center poll, one third (33 percent) of post-9/11 veterans believe the wars being fought in Afghanistan and Iraq were not worth fighting, compared to 45
No worth of the Afghanistan war
News On Wall – Joe Palomo
Only a third of the veterans fighting in the war against terrorism say that the battles carried in Iraq and Afghanistan have been worthwhile. According to The Associated Press, there have been over 1700 deaths of American soldiers in the last ten years
Don’t skimp on mental health care for veterans
Baltimore Sun – Christian Zawojski – ‎Oct 3, 2011‎
I recently had the misfortune of seeing a veteran of the war in Afghanistan walk to the site of his suicide. He passed by me early in the afternoon in a Maryland state park where I was working, and I didn’t realize until I saw his lifeless body later
Poll: 1 In 3 Vets Sees Iraq, Afghan Wars As Wastes
WITN – ‎19 hours ago‎
A new opinion survey says one in three US veterans of the post-9/11 military believes the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are not worth fighting. Most of the vets polled by the Pew Research Center also think that after 10 years of combat America should be
1 in 3 Recent US Veterans Say Iraq and Afghanistan Are Not Worth It
Truthdig – Brooke Anderson – ‎2 hours ago‎
A third of US veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars say neither conflict was worth fighting, and a majority believe their leaders should focus on the crumbling economy, infrastructure and other issues back home rather than on foreign affairs.
Poll: One-Third of Veterans Say Iraq, Afghanistan Wars Weren’t Worth Fighting
National Journal – Andrew Joseph – ‎8 hours ago‎
An almost equal number — 34 percent — said both wars have been worth it. When asked about the wars separately, half of post-9/11 veterans said the Afghanistan war was worth it and 44 percent said the same for the Iraq war.
Two-Thirds of Post 9/11 US Veterans Say Iraq & Afghanistan Wars Weren’t Worth It
Cleveland Leader
When asked about the wars individually, 50 percent of veterans said that the war in Afghanistan was worth fighting, compared to 44 percent who said the war in Iraq was worth it. This week marks 10 years of war in Afghanistan, which is the longest
Rebuild the Dream in the Streets
The International News Magazine – ‎Oct 3, 2011‎
Leon Panetta, who holds the position that we used to more usefully call “Secretary of War,” considers $350 billion over 10 years, or $35 billion per year, to be serious cuts to the national security budget. But he’s discussing cuts to dreamed of future
Poll: One-Third of US Vets Think Wars a Waste
Christian Broadcasting Network – ‎15 hours ago‎
Nearly 4500 US troops have died in Iraq and about 1700 in Afghanistan. Combined war costs since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks have topped $1 trillion The poll also finds that post 9/11 military veterans are more likely to disapprove of
Poll: 1 in 3 vets say war not worth it
WWLP 22News
(WWLP) – One in three veterans don’t think the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were worth fighting according to a Pew Research poll. The survey also found that 44% of the respondents who served in Iraq and Afghanistan had a hard time adjusting to civilian
International Business Times – ‎15 hours ago‎
By IB Times Staff Reporter | October 5, 2011 9:21 AM EDT A new poll shows that while post 9/11 veterans are proud of their service to this country, one-third think that fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan is a waste of time. The Pew Research Center polled
Antiwar.com – Jason Ditz – ‎1 hour ago‎
The poll showed troops have had a much more difficult time adjusting back into civilian life than in previous wars, and that 37 percent of them have suffered some post-traumatic stress. 10 years into the war in Afghanistan and officials openly talking
Miller-McCune.com – Jeff Shear – ‎Oct 3, 2011‎
Eight years later, America’s role in Iraq appears to finally be winding down. The Army’s Strategic Studies Institute in its most recent report wrote, “The assumption that war and peace are distinct and identifiable conditions may not hold.
1/3 of veterans say Iraq, Afghanistan wars not worth fighting
WLTZ 38 NBC
The poll results show that one-third of veterans who have served since 9/11 say the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not worth fighting. The Pew Research Center, which is a nonpartisan organization, released the poll results.
Nearly All Vets Proud of Their Service, but One in Three Believes Wars Were
WTMA
Jupiterimages/Comstock(WASHINGTON) — A new poll from the Pew Research Center out Wednesday finds that one in three US veterans believes that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not worth fighting, weighing the costs and benefits.
Recent Veterans More Likely to Support Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, But Networks …
NewsBusters (blog) – Rich Noyes – ‎15 hours ago‎
JOSH ELLIOT (Good Morning America): Friday now marks ten years since the start of the war in Afghanistan and a new poll this morning shows the toll on veterans. One-third of those who’ve served in Afghanistan and Iraq now say the wars were not worth
ONE THIRD OF VETERANS THINK WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN WERE A MISTAKE
Sky Valley Chronicle
Photo Army Special Forces (NATIONAL) — One in three US veterans of the post 9/11 military believes the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not worth fighting. In addition a solid majority believe that after 10 years of combat America should focus less
Impact of 10 years of war by the numbers
Stars and Stripes (blog) – Megan McCloskey – ‎12 hours ago‎
WASHINGTON _ Tomorrow marks the 10 th year since the start of the Afghanistan War. The Iraq War began two and half years later. In that time more than 2.2 million troops have deployed to a war zone – 42 percent of whom have gone at
Lives altered by 10 years of war in Afghanistan
Atlanta Journal Constitution – Sharon Cohen – ‎12 hours ago‎
AP Ten years after America began its war in Afghanistan, the decade can be measured by different yardsticks: Dollars. Deployments. Deaths. ADVANCE FOR USE THURSDAY, OCT. 6, 2011 AND THEREAFTER – This Tuesday, Sept.
Poll: 1 in 3 vets sees Iraq, Afghan wars as wastes
San Jose Mercury News – Robert Burns – ‎21 hours ago‎
WASHINGTON—One in three US veterans of the post-9/11 military believes the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not worth fighting, and a majority think that after 10 years of combat America should be focusing
Poll: 1 in 3 vets sees Iraq, Afghan wars as wastes
eTaiwan News – Robert Burns – ‎Oct 4, 2011‎
11, 2001, one-third say the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not worth fighting. And a majority of those surveyed think that 10 years after the al-Qaida attacks, America should be focusing less on foreign affairs and more on its own problems.
Poll: 1 in 3 vets sees Iraq, Afghan wars as wastes
Boston Globe – Robert Burns – ‎Oct 4, 2011‎
AP National Security Writer / October 5, 2011 WASHINGTON—One in three US veterans of the post-9/11 military believes the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not worth fighting, and a majority think that after 10 years of combat America
Winnipeg Free Press – Robert Burns – ‎Oct 4, 2011‎
WASHINGTON – In a new poll of veterans who have served since 9-11, one-third say the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not worth fighting. And a majority of those surveyed think that 10 years after the al-Qaida attacks, America should be focusing less
Poll: 1 in 3 vets sees Iraq, Afghan wars as wastes
MiamiHerald.com – Robert Burns – ‎Oct 4, 2011‎
J. Magno / AP By ROBERT BURNS AP National Security Writer WASHINGTON — One in three US veterans of the post-9/11 military believes the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not worth fighting, and a majority think that after 10 years of combat America
Daily US Casualties
Tulsa World – ‎Oct 4, 2011‎
By AP Afghanistan: As of Monday, at least 1678 members of the US military had died in Afghanistan as a result of the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, according to an Associated Press count. No new deaths or identifications were reported by the
Poll shows one-third US veterans think Iraq, Afghanistan wars not worthwhile
Focus News
think the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not worth fighting, Xinhua reported. As the United States marks the 10th anniversary of the longest period of sustained warfare in its history, the poll conducted by Pew Research Center showed 33
US Veterans Proud Of Military Service
Post Chronicle – ‎13 hours ago‎
by Staff Nearly all US veterans say they’re proud of their military service but only a third say the Iraq and Afghan wars have been worth the cost, a poll suggests. The Pew Research Center study found 96 percent of veterans who have served since Sept.
CBS MoneyWatch.com
by AP | Oct 5, 2011 10:20 AM ET WASHINGTON — One in three US veterans of the post-9/11 military believes the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not worth fighting, and a majority think that after 10 years of combat America should be focusing less on
Antiwar.com (blog) – Kelley Beaucar Vlahos
Buried in an amazing poll released by the Pew Research Center today that says 1 in 3 post-9/11 veterans believe the Iraq and Afghanistan wars were ‘not worth fighting,’ is an assertion that 6 in 10 such veterans polled also have ‘isolationist
NBC Washington – ‎17 hours ago‎
But according to a survey of armed service veterans, many believe the engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan are a waste of time. In addition, a majority of veterans in the poll think that after 10 years of combat, America should be focusing less on
STLtoday.com – ‎Oct 4, 2011‎
WASHINGTON • Nearly 20 percent of the more than 2 million troops who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from mental health conditions, according to a new report. They amount to more than half of the 712000 veterans from both wars who have
OpEdNews – David Swanson – ‎Oct 3, 2011‎
But don’t book that Afghan vacation just yet. Migratory birds have been avoiding Afghanistan for some years now. Afghans with higher educations have been leaving for decades. War profiteers, and occupation profiteers, and so-called reconstruction

 

Prevalence of overweight increasing in young children from low-income families.

Life Science Weekly December 28, 2004 2004 DEC 28 – (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) — The prevalence of overweight increased from 1989 to 2000 in children aged 2-4 years from low-income families, according to a new study. go to web site cdc growth charts

Children who are overweight are at risk for diabetes, gall stones, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure. As adults, they are also at an increased risk for coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis, compared with those not overweight as adolescents.

Bettylou Sherry, PhD, RD, from the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and colleagues examined the change in the prevalence of overweight and underweight in children ages 2-4 years from low-income families participating in federally funded programs. Their findings were published in the December 2004 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. cdcgrowthchartsnow.net cdc growth charts

The researchers used state-specific data for participants in the PedNSS program in 1989, 1994 and 2000. They defined overweight as a body mass index (BMI) for age in the 95th percentile or higher, and underweight as BMI for age in less than the fifth percentile, following CDC growth charts.

The overall trend in the study showed an increased prevalence of overweight in all sex, age, and race/ethnicity groups between 1989 and 2000. Of the 30 states included in the study, 28 had an overweight prevalence of more than 10%, compared to 11 states in 1989. Also in 2000, three states had overweight prevalences of more than 15-20%, while two had prevalences of more than 20%. During the study period, underweight decreased, with nine states in 1989 and 23 states in 2000 reporting a prevalence of five% or less. The researchers did not find a geographic concentration in overweight prevalence.

“In addition, national data representative of the U.S. population also showed increases in overweight prevalence over time, indicating that overweight is a national problem, not a problem exclusively associated with publicly funded programs or low income,” wrote the researchers.

“Overweight is increasing and underweight is decreasing in our study population. We need to expand prevention and intervention efforts to reverse the rising trend of overweight in the United States,” the authors wrote (Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2004; 158:1116-1124; archpediatrics.com).

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Readers are more than welcome to use the articles I've posted on Veterans Today, I've had to take a break from VT as Veterans Issues and Peace Activism Editor and staff writer due to personal medical reasons in our military family that take away too much time needed to properly express future stories or respond to readers in a timely manner. My association with VT since its founding in 2004 has been a very rewarding experience for me. Retired from both the Air Force and Civil Service. Went in the regular Army at 17 during Vietnam (1968), stayed in the Army Reserve to complete my eight year commitment in 1976. Served in Air Defense Artillery, and a Mechanized Infantry Division (4MID) at Fort Carson, Co. Used the GI Bill to go to college, worked full time at the VA, and non-scholarship Air Force 2-Year ROTC program for prior service military. Commissioned in the Air Force in 1977. Served as a Military Intelligence Officer from 1977 to 1994. Upon retirement I entered retail drugstore management training with Safeway Drugs Stores in California. Retail Sales Management was not my cup of tea, so I applied my former U.S. Civil Service status with the VA to get my foot in the door at the Justice Department, and later Department of the Navy retiring with disability from the Civil Service in 2000. I've been with Veterans Today since the site originated. I'm now on the Editorial Board. I was also on the Editorial Board of Our Troops News Ladder another progressive leaning Veterans and Military Family news clearing house. I remain married for over 45 years. I am both a Vietnam Era and Gulf War Veteran. I served on Okinawa and Fort Carson, Colorado during Vietnam and in the Office of the Air Force Inspector General at Norton AFB, CA during Desert Storm. I retired from the Air Force in 1994 having worked on the Air Staff and Defense Intelligence Agency at the Pentagon.