Press Underreports Wounded in Iraq

This becomes more horrific and surreal every day. This war has to end.

I blame the media as much as BushCo for this invasion and occupation. The people, if informed, would want this to end. We are the people, not the masses, but currently we are, culturally, at best, a flock of sheeple. Our media is traitorous. A pack of self-interested lapdog idiot fools.

How can the media be stopped? How can a boycott be arranged?


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ep/20031023/en_bpiep/pressunderreportswoundediniraq

Few newspapers routinely report injuries in Iraq, beyond references to specific incidents. Since the war began in March, 1,927 soldiers have been wounded in Iraq, many quite severely. (The tally is current as of Oct. 20.) Of this number, 1,590 were wounded in hostile action, and 337 from other causes. About 20% of the injured in Iraq have suffered severe brain injuries, and as many as 70% "had the potential for resulting in brain injury," according to an Oct. 16 article in The Boston Globe.


Current injury statistics were easily obtained by E&P through U.S. Central Command and the Pentagon (news - web sites), so getting the numbers is no longer a problem. According to Lawrence F. Kaplan, author of an article on injured troops in the Oct. 13 issue of The New Republic, this information has only recently been readily accessible. "Pentagon officials have rebuked public affairs officers who release casualty figures, and, until recently, U.S. Central Command did not regularly publicize the injured tally either," Kaplan wrote.

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A United Press International investigation, published Oct. 20, revealed that many wounded veterans from Iraq, under care at places such as the Fort Stewart military base in Georgia, must wait "weeks and months for proper medical help" and are being kept in living conditions that are "unacceptable for sick and injured soldiers." One officer was quoted as saying, "They're being treated like dogs." The Army has said it is attempting to remedy the situation.

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Absolutely pathetic.

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