John McCain is a Phony

At this point, the Iraq invasion and ongoing occupation has been de-prioritized by the American news media. This is true in spite of the ongoing violence and upheaval that still occurs there, as well as the damage already done, such as the hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqi citizens and the 5 million Iraqis violently displaced, who mostly have no plans of returning to their native land. These are realities beyond dispute, yet John McCain continues to trumpet the "success" of the so-called "surge", and has never expressed regret for his fierce support of the invasion and occupation.

Another reality is the still very large presence of American troops on the ground in Iraq. If John McCain has it his way, these troops will presumably remain in Iraq in high numbers until he decides "victory" has been achieved. The concept of "victory" in Iraq is a funny thing because no one who argues to stay in Iraq, is able to articulate exactly what would constitute "victory", yet they are able to spew their rhetoric with little challenge from the faux-journalists who still treat people like McCain as if they have any credibility.

To date, 4,494 American troops have lost their lives fighting for some fantasy victory in Iraq, at the behest of John McCain, George Bush and other Republicans. However, the forgotten victims of the Iraq mess are the shocking number of troops who've committed suicide or attempted suicide. Before the invasion of Iraq in 2003, there was an average of one suicide attempt per day among US troops. Today, that rate of troop suicide has risen to an unbelievable five per day, and last year 2,100 "injured themselves or attempted suicide". Between 2005 and 2007, over 300 troops successfully ended their own lives, and the Pentagon's projected 2008 suicide numbers are 130. The number of suicides would be significantly higher if reliable statistics could be kept of troops after they've been discharged. Presumably, hundreds more discharged troops have killed themselves or attempted to.

This is a tragedy of epic proportions, all caused by an unnecessary war started on false pretenses, and cheered on quite loudly by the Republican nominee for president, John McCain. Toward the end of the first presidential debate on September 26^th, John McCain spoke of his "love" for veterans and often speaks of his love for the troops currently serving. In an attempt to score political points on their backs, McCain has also falsely accused Obama multiple times of voting against funding troops in Iraq. However, McCain - as far as my research can tell - has never, not even once, spoken out or tried to do anything to address the tragedy of troop suicide. In fact, McCain, while on stage at political rallys claiming to "love" troops and vets, has done nothing but vote against increased funding for veterans services.

For instance, McCain initially opposed the expansion of the GI Bill earlier this year, only coming around to support it after realizing how politically damaging it would be to oppose the legislation any further. But, this was no isolated incident. In 2006, McCain voted against legislation to expand medial facilities for veterans, as well as being one of only 13 senators who voted against a 430 million dollar expansion of outpatient services for veterans. In 2007, McCain voted against 1.5 billion dollar increase in veteran's medical services, even though thousands of Iraq vets are returning maimed, and wounded both physically, emotionally and mentally. In contrast, the troop hater Obama voted in favor of every one of these provisions.

While McCain continues his tough guy talk about "victory" in Iraq, and has used his status as a Vietnam War vet and POW to trick Americans into thinking he is of strong character and integrity, he literally has had nothing to say about the issue of sky-rocketing suicide numbers among active troops and veterans. Again, in contrast to McCain, Barack Obama introduced the Armed Forces Suicide Prevention Act earlier this year, along with Republican Senator Chuck Hagel and Democratic Senator Tom Harkin. upon introducing the bill, Obama said, "The men and women who serve our country should expect nothing less than world class medical care, treatment, rehabilitation, and counseling services. Suicide can be prevented, and we must do everything we can to help those who are suffering." The bill, which would create a comprehensive suicide prevention program within the Department of Defense, now lists 20 co-sponsors in the Senate, and John McCain's name is conspicuously absent from that list.

McCain's record of non-support for vets, unfortunately, goes on and on, and the lesson learned from McCain's dismal record on veterans issues, and his apparent lack of concern over the drastic rise in suicides since the start of a war he pushed for and insists must continue, is that John McCain is a complete and utter fraud. Not only is he a fraud, but he is a heartless fraud who evokes troops in Iraq and veterans when he needs a solid crowd pleasing line for his campaign stump speeches, or as a back-drop for his PR, photo-op trips to Iraq, but turns his back on them when they return. John McCain is nothing but a phony, shallow old bastard with little understanding or concern for not only veterans issues, but all issues - unless he can find a way to capitalize politically. His constantly shifting political positions indicate a crass political freak, only interested in the prestige, power and attention that come along with being a Senator and potential President. Maybe he would be shouting from the rooftops about it if he were able to find a way to use the issue of troop suicides to his political advantage. "Country First", dontcha know?