The Surge is upon us...My doctor is being sent off again.

[axollot]

My Doc (who I have to see monthly due to the nature of my medication) is National Guard. He is being deployed to Kuwait (He has been to Iraq already too) for 3 months starting June 1st. The worst time to leave as this years hurricane season is already upon us as is tornado season etc. We NEED our Guard home more than ever. Not 'on vacation' as he put it! (and I said, for who? You or your CIC?)

He and I both agreed this was due to the 'surge', Iraq invasion shouldn't of happened and as he put it - the part that is so gut wrenching - an entire "generation" has been wiped out. Not fighting age of course, babies. I brought up the infant mortality rate as listed for 2007 which showed Iraq's infant mortality rate is the worst in the WORLD. It is UP 150% (as listed in Time magazine this month's issue). Stating, children 5 years of age and under are 150% more likely to die than any other country. Even the children in Darfur, Sudan are better off! That is SICK!

His advice regarding Iraq was pretty good too. Take the *best* of what Saddam had and did in Iraq and follow that, not DC doctrine. He maybe a US citizen now, but he is from S.E. Asia originally.

He has been my doctor for 4 years now, he is a great Doctor and with my condition, is very hard to find. The small consolation I have regarding my medication is his partner Doc.

In the end, he is one of the lucky ones, this is only the second time deployed to that region. Unlike the much younger general enlisted guys. Not to mention, his tour's are only ever 3 months long.

Cheers
Sandy

[MLFerrell]

1. Thank God he's going to Kuwait, and not Iraq.

It's not just deadly for children, sadly enough.

[axollot]

4. I agreed with you there. n/t

[Zywiec]

2. The infant mortality rate up 150% is from 1990 - 2007

That includes GW1 and the generation killed off during the UN Embargo of the '90's.

[axollot]

3. Thanks for the explaination.

It still sucks though does it not? Plus, I think the civil war it has degenerated to is worse than any embargo the UN put it through.

Cheers
Sandy

[Zywiec]

5. This chart shows it's actually been going down

the last few years. Of course I'm not sure who indexmundi is, but it's the first google return on "Iraq infant mortality"

http://www.indexmundi.com/iraq/infant_mortality_rate.html

I think the Embargo was the worst period.

[axollot]

6. Again,

Thanks, regardless of the site, they get their info from the CIA world fact book.

I would have to double check what Time got their info from and exactly the time-table to agree or not.

I would though have to also listen to a guy that a) is a doctor and b) seen it first hand
when he says an entire generation is currently being wiped out.

WE KNOW we should have NEVER gone in there, WE KNOW we made it completely and utterly unstable there.

I cannot imagine that kids right now are getting better care or even getting any care at all when the mother is busy dodging IED's on the way to her local ped's doc.
:sarcasm:

Cheers
Sandy