To: Neocon who wrote (141869 ) 7/29/2004 11:12:12 AM From: cnyndwllr Read Replies (2) | Respond to of 281500 Neocon, I don't how reliable your facts are and I'm not sure who compiled them. I don't believe the statement that: "[t]he suicide rate for vets is no higher than for non- veterans. The same is true for rates of drug abuse, homelessness, and incarceration. More vets showed signs of post- traumatic stress syndrom after WWII than the Vietnam War." Is that "more" in terms of absolute numbers or in terms of percentages that saw combat? I suspect it's not in terms of percentages who saw combat. It seems unlikely to me that the rates of "drug abuse, homelessness, and incarceration" would be the same for Vietnam vets and others since at least one third of those serving in Vietnam were drafted and many of those that weren't drafted went to school for deferments and got an education. I'm also proud that I served my country but not proud of Vietnam or those who sent us. I wouldn't say that the "U.S." took advantage of me, but I would say that those who sent me almost never went themselves. I, too, might "go again," but only the first time. I wouldn't have gone back to fight another corrupt and wasteful war. I'd have despised those who tried to make that same mistake twice, in fact I do. So you see it's all in how you word the question. I'm totally against the Vietnam war yet totally support service to my country and would answer those questions in much the same way that a majority of veterans did. And yes, in my experience the imposters have the wildest tales that they've condensed from everyone else. That's not necessary to reveal the horror of war and the weakness of men when they're given too much power and too little control; the reality is bad enough.