I'm very glad to see someone posting about the Vets.

First, we need to give the VA's healh care budget a big boost-and raise salaries for pyschologists and psychiatrists working for the VA.

Many of these Vets are are suffering from stress truama and psychological problems--especially those sent back to Iraq more than once.

Also, for reasons we don't etnirely understand,
Vietnam Vets are now showing up at VA hospitals with problems related to trauma. It may be that because this genration didn't feel that it was okay to talk about this, the trauma is kicking in later in life.

Finally, we need jobs programs for returning Vets. Having been trained in the military, they know how to do things that many of us don't do well: working well in groups; putting the interests of your colleagues (or the people you are supposed to help) ahead of your own . .

I think of the former marine (soldier?) who threw himself onto a sibbway track in NYC a year or so ago in order to save a young man who had suddenly had an epileptic atttack that caused him to fall onto the track-- just when a train was coming in.

The former soldier put his own bodh over the fallen man's body, and managed to rollstheir bodies so that they were in between the wheels of the oncoming train.

They both survived, without any significant injuries.

Finally, I cannot believe that the prsdient is serious abotu sending men into Afghanistan. Perhps he is bluffing??

I remember all of your names (including those of you who argued with me-- hi destor 23!)

Bevd D-- your comment here,-- LOL

Though I should say, the white men didn't drive me away, or into exile.

The management of TPM has always been cordial, particularly Andrew.

But I became busier, and during the Obama/Clinton
race, the tone of things on TPM seemed to change. More personal attacks, fewer of the very interesting comments from people like you that I so valued.

I don't mean to suggest that this happened only on TPM; in many parts of the progressive blogosphere the level of disourse seemed to descend to "my team vs. your team."

Less talk about ideas, more talk about personalities. Politics as horse race rather than politics as a debate about issues.

But things have settled down now, so I'll definitely come back and cross-post .

Best to all, Maggie