Is Racism The Only Thing Keeping Our Soldiers Fighting?

razorshapes:

Dorothy’s inspiration for Casualties of War stemmed from the personal hell soldiers live through after the war. Her creative idea captures the stories we don’t often hear about: their unimaginable suffering.

Dorothy’s inspiration for Casualties of War stemmed from the personal hell soldiers live through after the war. Her creative idea captures the stories we don’t often hear about: their unimaginable suffering.

"Here’s a window into a tragedy within the American military: For every soldier killed on the battlefield this year, about 25 veterans are dying by their own hands."

— New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof • In an opinion piece on the death of soldiers after they return home. A few other key stats — more former soldiers have committed suicide after returning home than died in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq combined, being a veteran doubles the risk of suicide, and being a veteran between ages 17 and 24 quadruples the risk. Yikes. Read up on this disturbing trend. (via shortformblog)

occupyallstreets:

15 Facts About Military Spending That Will Make Your Head Explode

1. America spends more on its military than the next 15 countries combined,

2. By 2033 the U.S. will be paying $59 billion a year to its veterans injured in the wars.

3. In 2007, the amount of money labeled ‘wasted’ or ‘lost’ in Iraq — $11 billion — could pay 220,000 teachers salaries.

4. America’s defense spending doubled in the same period that its economy shrunk from 32 to 23 percent of global output.

5. The yearly cost of stationing one soldier in Iraq could feed 60 American families.

6. Defense spending is higher today than at any time since the height of World War II.

7. The total known land area occupied by U.S. bases and facilities is 15,654 square miles — bigger than D.C., Massachusetts, and New Jersey combined.

8. Each day in Afghanistan costs the government more than it did to build the entire Pentagon.

9. In 2008, the Pentagon spent more money every five seconds in Iraq than the average American earned in a year.

10. The pentagon budget consumes 80% of individual income tax revenue.

11. Two decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Defense Department still has more than 40 generals, admirals or civilian equivalents based in Europe.

12. The amount the government has spent compensating radiation victims of nuclear testing ($1.5 billion) could fully educate 13,000 American kids.

13. The Pentagon spends more on war than all 50 states combined spend on health, education, welfare, and safety.

14. The U.S. has 5% of the world’s population — but almost 50% of the world’s total military expenditure.

15. The US. must spend a full 1 percent of its GDP just to maintain its arsenal.

Source

cartoonpolitics:

Nearly 20 percent of the more than 2 million troops who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan have been left with mental health conditions .. (Ref)

gaksdesigns:

Ballet Soldier

Maltreated Children Show Same Pattern of Brain Activity as Combat Soldiers

(Source: jsm31)

religiousragings:

tastefully-offensive:

Jon Stewart’s da man.

Not just the pictures, but the sounds of crying and screaming in terror. The smells…

My boyfriend had this to say: Censorship. It’s what keeps wars going. In Vietnam they showed a lot of raw detail, which helped end the war due to people’s disgust. The US learnt it’s lesson from Vietnam, and That’s why it’s no longer shown on TV.
I had this to say: fucking fucking fucking war-mongerers.

religiousragings:

“Maybe a President who didn’t believe our soldiers were going to heaven might be a little less willing to get them killed” - Bill Maher

(Source: atheist-me)

loveandotherhumanrights:

This a opinion is a bit too harsh and radical for me, but I agree to a certain extent. Certainly, Peace Corps should be getting more of the funding that’s being wastefully spent in the military. I still have sympathy for soldiers, though, because many were young when they joined—and I still believe veterans deserve care. However, I don’t agree with the seemingly whimsical manner in which people join up and gov’t deploys. And, yeah, they still opted for a life choice which is likely to ask them to kill people, often innocent civilians.

I think the major reason I’m reblogging this is because it reminded me of when I was watching Baker Boys, a documentary on deployed soldiers, last night. Several of the guys featured made statements which irked me. They said they were bored because no one had been shooting at them lately and that they just wished they could have a chance to shoot their gun. They admitted to joining because they thought it would be fun to go off and kill the “bad guy.”

Hearing ignorant, apathetic perspectives like that seriously make me so fucking sad. And I really think that most American soldiers believe that crap.

Reblogging for commentary, also I do agree with this image to some extent.

The scene, part of the “Walk a Mile in her Shoes” event, was a sight to behold. Soldiers and civilians, mostly male, strapped on flashy red high heels and pushed strollers or carried their children in backpacks. Battle buddies teetered clumsily, holding onto each other for physical and even moral support.

lol OMG! This is perfect, I almost cried

The scene, part of the “Walk a Mile in her Shoes” event, was a sight to behold. Soldiers and civilians, mostly male, strapped on flashy red high heels and pushed strollers or carried their children in backpacks. Battle buddies teetered clumsily, holding onto each other for physical and even moral support.

lol OMG! This is perfect, I almost cried

(Source: loveofatravelingsoldier)

The eyes of Marines before, during & after Afghanistan. Photographed by Dutch photographer Claire Felicie.