Stressed US troops in Iraq 'turning to drugs' - Telegraph

[rndmprsn]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/07/23/wirq23.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/07/23/ixportal.html

Aware of the debilitating effect drugs had on the morale and effectiveness of GIs in the Vietnam War, the authorities are attempting to stifle a repeat in Iraq.

Aside from random urine tests and barrack room searches, commanders have asked their troops to inform on colleagues...

...Since the overthrow of Saddam's regime the borders that have been so porous for insurgents have been equally open for heroin and hash smugglers from Afghanistan and Iran providing a cheap market for troops. With colleagues being killed or wounded on a daily basis, some US soldiers have turned to drugs to escape the horrors of fighting insurgents.

In one case, according to Stars and Stripes, the in-house US forces newspaper, Sgt Michael Boudreaux was found with drugs, four bottles of whiskey and 22 videos of Iraqi pornography. He received a seven month confinement, was demoted to private and given a bad conduct discharge.

In another case, Pte Emily Hamilton told a court martial that she used a hashish pipe belonging to a colleague because "it helped me go right to sleep". She was given a year's confinement and a bad conduct discharge.

"Some of these young soldiers just can't handle the stress," said Capt Christopher Krafchek, a military defence lawyer.

[flamin lib]

1. "Some of these young soldiers just can't handle the stress,"

And this is news? Hello out there America! You can't do these things to human beings and expect no reaction.

[indepat]

3. Don't see that Rummy and Meyers are all stressed out

[SpiralHawk]

2. "Just say no" to Commander Cuckoobannanas Crusade (CCC)

It's the wise thing to do.

[Horse with no Name]

4. Hell I don't know about you

But if my child was over there and didn't want to be--I would encourage they fill their footlockers with hashish so they would be kicked out.
A year in the brig sure as hell beats a year on the front lines and when they kick your ass to the curb--they also kick out the stop-loss.

[acmejack]

5. They also kick them out of the benefits

VA and college tuition assistance. Of course if you're dead guess that would be moot.

[Horse with no Name]

7. Yup.

My guess is if you are in the military now--you can consider yourself a "lifer".
With their endless war plans and making freedom ring in all corners of the world--you'll be stop-lossed til you are too old or dead.
I'd walk away from the bene's in a heartbeat to save my life.
We are not fighting noble or honorable causes.
There won't be any glory at the end of the road--just more wars.
Greed begets greed.
You take their oil and succeed. What is to stop you from taking anything else away from any other country in the world that you want?
The answer is nothing. They won't stop at oil.

[Dr Fate]

6. Another reason to ban Rush from Armed Forces Radio.

He is obviously a poor role model.

[sam sarrha]

9. if i was forced to listen to him ..I'd need drugs or I'd shoot myself.

[alfredo]

10. that's a good point.

Rush is a bad role model. The soldier hear Rush and think, hey he's a drug user and nothing has happened to him.

[Dr Fate]

11. Rush is an "abuser", not a mere "user."

His consumption of THOUSANDS of "heroin-like" pills suggests he has "graduated" far beyond the "experimentation" stage.

[alfredo]

13. Pill poppers= Garbage can junkies.

the lowest of the low.

[sam sarrha]

8. they are simply slave gladiators, at this point...have pity..

[HysteryDiagnosis]

12. They are obviously responsible for what is happening to them....

lock 'em up.... stress has driven this admin to do the unthinkable.... however they all get a pass. Pity.