John Edwards LTTE in the New York Times

[Catchawave]

April 8, 2008
Letter
Broken Soldiers, and a Broken System
To the Editor:

In “For Wounded Veterans and Their Families, a Journey Without Maps” (Editorial Observer, March 24), Lawrence Downes missed an important opportunity to explain why both the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs are unprepared to care for the service members who have been hurt in the Iraq war.

The reason is that the frequently reported number of the wounded in action (29,320 as of March 1) does not include everyone who’s been hurt.

The complete number of nonfatal casualties in Iraq is 60,645. Most assume the wounded number includes all, but it does not. It leaves out another 8,273 injured and 23,052 who became ill and required medical air transport from the war zone. The Department of Defense releases two reports: one with the weekly numbers of those wounded and killed, and then another monthly report with the complete numbers. After five years, it is time for respected news organizations to use the complete number.

The public needs this information so that we can better prepare for the care of all of our veterans from this war and others. The struggle for them and their families your article addressed is happening all across this country. Nearly 300,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have already sought care from the V.A.

The system is broken. That is why so many veterans are still fighting for the care they earned. That is why their families struggle with paperwork and months of delay. And that is why 154,000 veterans sleep on grates or under bridges every night.

We have tens of thousands set to come home, and we aren’t prepared. Every day we should honor the more than 4,000 lives lost: every suicide, bullet or serious accident.

And every day we should honor those who have been hurt. That number is 60,645 and rising.

John Edwards
Chapel Hill, N.C., March 31, 2008

The writer is the former presidential candidate and former senator from North Carolina.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/08/opinion/l08edwards.html?_r=3&ref=opinion&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

[smokey nj]

1. Thanks for posting this Catchawave

[LiveLiberally]

2. Many thanks!

It is so good to see John and Elizabeth out front again, talking about the issues so central to their campaign... and our future.

[Catchawave]

3. A nice shout out from TPM....

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/04/a_cameo_appearance_from_john_e.php

A Cameo Appearance By John Edwards
By Greg Sargent - April 10, 2008, 1:19PM
This passed unnoticed, but John Edwards popped up and spoke out publicly the other day -- he penned a letter to the editor of The New York Times, demanding that the paper and other media be more accurate when it comes to counting our wounded in Iraq.

In his letter, he pointed out that the Pentagon has two sets of numbers for counting the wounded -- a weekly stat, which is incomplete because it leaves out those who became ill and required air transport from the war zone, and another monthly report that has complete numbers.

"After five years, it is time for respected news organizations to use the complete number," Edwards wrote. "And every day we should honor those who have been hurt. That number is 60,645 and rising."

Edwards was hitting on an issue that few are aware of but has great importance to veterans and some Capitol Hill staffers working on their behalf.

Whoever you back for president, and whatever you thought of Edwards' candidacy, something was undeniably lost when Edwards called it quits. These days, the only talk you hear about Edwards in political circles is about whether he'll endorse, but he's still out there, plugging away on the issues he cares about.


:applause:

[sandyd921]

4. Yay John!

Thanks so much for posting this! JRE continues to be a real truthteller. :applause: This is why I supported him in the first place and why I continue to be depressed about his elimination from the race.

[jackson_dem]

5. Thanks. I missed that. Good to see John back in the fray!

[midnight]

6. What is going on in this country? Our vets can't have care,

[ChiciB1]

7. Thanks Catchawave... Love This Letter! Dropped Out Of Politics Lately....

Still trying to figure out what I want to do. For a while after John suspended I thought I would keep going, but my frustration took over. Seeing far too much apathy and checking out all the negative vibes at DU, I just SAID NO!!

Signed up at the new John Edwards sites thinking I could feel "his warmth" and optimism again, but it wasn't working.

Just thought I would check out this forum again and am glad to see that some are still keeping him real. Haven't posted anywhere for WEEKS, just wanted to say HI & THANKS AGAIN!