We've all heard the figures. $10 to $12 Billion a month, $350 Million a day. But that is just the up-front cost of operations on the ground.
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Read this in my local paper today Police in Kingston convince suicidal ex-Marine to give up gun, surrender
The long term costs of this war are going to be incalculable.
A suicidal ex-Marine armed with a handgun caused a large police response Monday
This was just one troubled Iraq War vet in a small Up-State town. This incident lasted for more than an hour and a half and required more than 20 law enforcement officers plus assistance from the fire department.
Police did not name the suicidal man, but said he had served two tours of duty in Iraq. One of the first responders, a Kingston detective who was also a former Marine, was able to find common ground with the distraught man and began to talk him out of his decision to kill himself.
He's spending his Veterans' Day on a locked psyched ward while ringing up a hefty hospital bill. There is a time bomb ticking out there. Tens of thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are coming home with physical and psychological injuries. The DOD and the VA are not ready to deal with the coming tsunami.
Don't just thank a vet today. Thank one every day. They all went where their CIC sent them and did what was asked of them. Hopefully our new CIC will bring them home quickly. We owe it to them to make sure our government keeps its promises to all those who served.
Update:
President-Elect Obama pledges to keep that promise to vets at a wreath laying ceremony today.
"Let us rededicate ourselves to keep a sacred trust with all who have worn the uniform of the United States of America: that America will serve you as well as you have served your country," Obama said in a statement. "As your next commander in chief, I promise to work every single day to keep that sacred trust with all who have served."