Well what a shocker, now that the hell hole that is Walter Reed is exposed to the sunlight of public opinion we are learning more and more. Well guess what, the administration has outsourced care of Walter Reed to a private contractor. Outsourcing the care of our troops. In some worlds we call this more War Profiteering

From the ArmyTimes (bolds are mine)

The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has subpoenaed Maj. Gen. George Weightman, who was fired as head of Walter Reed Army Medical Center, after Army officials refused to allow him to testify before the committee Monday.

Read complete coverage of the Walter Reed controversy.

Committee Chairman Henry Waxman and subcommittee Chairman John Tierney asked Weightman to testify about an internal memo that showed privatization of services at Walter Reed could put “patient care services… at risk of mission failure.”

But Army officials refused to allow Weightman to appear before the committee after he was relieved of command.

“The Army was unable to provide a satisfactory explanation for the decision to prevent General Weightman from testifying,” committee members said in a statement today.

The committee wants to learn more about a letter written in September by Garrison Commander Peter Garibaldi to Weightman.

The memorandum “describes how the Army’s decision to privatize support services at Walter Reed Army Medical Center was causing an exodus of ‘highly skilled and experienced personnel,’” the committee’s letter states. “According to multiple sources, the decision to privatize support services at Walter Reed led to a precipitous drop in support personnel at Walter Reed.”

The letter said Walter Reed also awarded a five-year, $120-million contract to IAP Worldwide Services, which is run by Al Neffgen, a former senior Halliburton official.

They also found that more than 300 federal employees providing facilities management services at Walter Reed had drooped to fewer than 60 by Feb. 3, 2007, the day before IAP took over facilities management. IAP replaced the remaining 60 employees with only 50 private workers.

“The conditions that have been described at Walter Reed are disgraceful,” the letter states. “Part of our mission on the Oversight Committee is to investigate what led to the breakdown in services. It would be reprehensible if the deplorable conditions were caused or aggravated by an ideological commitment to privatize government services regardless of the costs to taxpayers and the consequences for wounded soldiers.”

Years ago I had a hypothesis that the Bush, and the Republicans, did not give a rat’s ass about the troops. That the troops are nothing more than a fancy backdrop to a speech or photo-op, and the evidence is showing that I was in fact correct, Bush, and the Republicans don’t really give a shit about the troops. Remember that as we near the 2008 elections. A vote for a Republican is a vote against the troops. In fact the Republican refused to do oversight, Democratic Senator Carl Levin said out loud on “Meet the Press” this weekend that the Senate Armed Services Committee [under the Republicans] did not conduct oversight of the treatment at military facilities in recent years because “they did not want to embarrass the President.” It was more important to make Bush look good (I guess you can polish shit to a high gloss) than it was to care for our troops.

Now the Washington Post has a follow-up that is almost more disturbing than the original. (bolds are mine)

Top officials at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, including the Army's surgeon general, have heard complaints about outpatient neglect from family members, veterans groups and members of Congress for more than three years.

A procession of Pentagon and Walter Reed officials expressed surprise last week about the living conditions and bureaucratic nightmares faced by wounded soldiers staying at the D.C. medical facility. But as far back as 2003, the commander of Walter Reed, Lt. Gen. Kevin C. Kiley, who is now the Army's top medical officer, was told that soldiers who were wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan were languishing and lost on the grounds, according to interviews.

Steve Robinson, director of veterans affairs at Veterans for America, said he ran into Kiley in the foyer of the command headquarters at Walter Reed shortly after the Iraq war began and told him that "there are people in the barracks who are drinking themselves to death and people who are sharing drugs and people not getting the care they need."

"I met guys who weren't going to appointments because the hospital didn't even know they were there," Robinson said. Kiley told him to speak to a sergeant major, a top enlisted officer.

A recent Washington Post series detailed conditions at Walter Reed, including those at Building 18, a dingy former hotel on Georgia Avenue where the wounded were housed among mice, mold, rot and cockroaches.

This is a must read story, go and read the whole thing.

I am sure that the troops are just loving how much Bush and his Republicans support them. Now that the Walter Reed story is out there and there is no taking it back, Army officials are punishing the wounded soldiers for talking to the media.

From the ArmyTimes

Soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center’s Medical Hold Unit say they have been told they will wake up at 6 a.m. every morning and have their rooms ready for inspection at 7 a.m., and that they must not speak to the media.

“Some soldiers believe this is a form of punishment for the trouble soldiers caused by talking to the media,” one Medical Hold Unit soldier said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

It is unusual for soldiers to have daily inspections after Basic Training.

Soldiers say their sergeant major gathered troops at 6 p.m. Monday to tell them they must follow their chain of command when asking for help with their medical evaluation paperwork, or when they spot mold, mice or other problems in their quarters.

They were also told they would be moving out of Building 18 to Building 14 within the next couple of weeks. Building 14 is a barracks that houses the administrative offices for the Medical Hold Unit and was renovated in 2006. It’s also located on the Walter Reed Campus, where reporters must be escorted by public affairs personnel. Building 18 is located just off campus and is easy to access.

The soldiers said they were also told their first sergeant has been relieved of duty, and that all of their platoon sergeants have been moved to other positions at Walter Reed. And 120 permanent-duty soldiers are expected to arrive by mid-March to take control of the Medical Hold Unit, the soldiers said.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Army public affairs did not respond to a request sent Sunday evening to verify the personnel changes.

US Army Medical Chief said that the Washington Post story was dead on the mark, but “One-sided”. He is right, it was on the side of our troops, and god knows that is the wrong side for the Bush Administration.

Bush and the Republicans have a saying, Nothing is to good for the troops, and nothing is what they are going to get...

In what can only be called the perfect response from the most uncaring administration ever to grace 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, today White House talking hack Tony Snow told America exactly what Bush is going to do about the deplorable conditions suffered by out returning wounded from Iraq, as one said "If Iraq don't kill you, Walter Reed will."

From the White House's own Website… (bolds are mine)

Q The administration's mantra for a long time has been "support the troops." What is the reaction, then, when you read this series of stories in The Washington Post about troops coming home from Iraq, Afghanistan and being treated so poorly, apparently, based on this long investigation? What's the President's reaction?

MR. SNOW: There are a couple of things. First, it's not a mantra. I would really choose words carefully. It's a commitment to support the troops. And the President, as you know, has visited the wounded many times at Walter Reed and we are concerned about it. And the people who –

Q Were you aware?

MR. SNOW: We are aware now, yes. And I would refer you to the Department of Defense, which I know is taking a very close look at it, too.

Look, the men and women who have gone and fought for our country over there, they deserve the best care.

Q So why has that not been guaranteed, then?

MR. SNOW: I'm not sure that — you know, when you find a problem, you deal with it.

Q So you're saying the President learned about this from The Washington Post?

MR. SNOW: I don't know exactly where he learned it, but I can tell you that we believe that they deserve better. And, again, Ed, this is something where I'd suggest you give DoD a call, because I know they've taken a good, hard look at it.

Q Tony, can I follow on that? As Bob Dole might ask, where's the outrage?

MR. SNOW: There's plenty of outrage.

Q Is there?

MR. SNOW: Yes.

Q So the President responded how when he learned about this? What, specifically — did he order something to be done?

MR. SNOW: What I'm suggesting — there's a reason I'm suggesting — DoD is the proper place in which we'll be taking care of these issues. And I would refer you to them for comment. But this is something that's going to have to be an action item.

Q But is there any evidence that it was even looked at before the paper printed its two stories?

MR. SNOW: Yes.

Q Then tell us about that evidence.

MR. SNOW: That's why — again, I would refer you, Bill, to the Department of the Army, which runs the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. This is the place where if you want to get –

Q That's just an easy way for you not to have to talk about it.

MR. SNOW: Well, it's also a way of pointing to the proper authorities, which is what you would want.

Q The White House doesn't want to be on record with a more emphatic expression of amazement and upset about this?

MR. SNOW: No. David asked where the outrage — of course there's outrage that men and women who have been fighting have not received the outpatient care — if you read the stories, there are many who are happy with it, some who are unhappy, and it's important that we show our commitment to the people who have served. I don't know what more you want me to do.

***
Q What is your reaction of Major General Weightman, who is the Commander at Walter Reed, also says in the bottom of the article on Sunday in The Washington Post, said that he's concerned and that they're bracing for, "potentially a lot more casualties," people coming to Walter Reed because of the surge. Does that cause the White House to think at all about that policy, because you have the Commander of Walter Reed –

MR. SNOW: There are a whole series of things, and, again, this is why you need to talk to people who are in the chain, because –

Q But this he said on the record.

MR. SNOW: I understand, Ed. But there are a series of things. First, for Walter Reed, what you end up having is treatment of people who are wounded — and also this is Bethesda, as you know, different sorts of injuries are treated at the two facilities. And many of those people are there for months. And this story deals with outpatient care after that treatment, right? So it's important, I think, to understand that you've got to be prepared for all things that are going to come your way, including getting the piece right when it comes to outpatient care, and continuing also to do well by inpatients.

But, again, I know you want me to — I'm simply not going to go beyond what I know. And in this particular case, the people who do know the facts and do know what's going on, and do know how the investigations are proceeding are the guys over at DoD.

There is little for me to say, from UPI

U.S. Marine Gen. Peter Pace admitted to the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday equipment will be a problem when U.S. forces in Iraq are increased.

During testimony over the $481.4 billion fiscal 2008 defense budget, Pace said the military has about 41,000 armored vehicles in Iraq — fewer than will be needed “to cover all of the troops that are deploying.”

Pace said it will be July before enough equipment is in place.

“The commanders on the ground have talked with the chief of staff of the Army and the commandant of the Marine Corps and have agreed that they will be able to share the assets on the ground so that no soldier or Marine will leave the compound without proper protection,” Pace said when asked why more troops should be deployed immediately.

There is little for me to say, from UPI

U.S. Marine Gen. Peter Pace admitted to the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday equipment will be a problem when U.S. forces in Iraq are increased.
During testimony over the $481.4 billion fiscal 2008 defense budget, Pace said the military has about 41,000 armored vehicles in Iraq — fewer than will be needed “to cover all of the troops that are deploying.”

Pace said it will be July before enough equipment is in place.

“The commanders on the ground have talked with the chief of staff of the Army and the commandant of the Marine Corps and have agreed that they will be able to share the assets on the ground so that no soldier or Marine will leave the compound without proper protection,” Pace said when asked why more troops should be deployed immediately.

I wrote about this the other day, it is good to see it is gaining traction in the rest of the press. Whashington Post was the lead on this whole mess. Remember, the Republicans are the ones that sent them over there, and the Republicans are the ones that did not give them what they needed to live, much less win…

ThinkPrgress has put together a great post, with lots of good links.
As White House Plays Anti-Military Card, Troops Go Without Guns, Supplies, Armor
The Bush administration claims that any congressional resolution opposing escalation would hurt the morale of U.S. troops. “It would be, I think, detrimental from the standpoint of the troops,” Vice President Cheney said last week.

Cheney should spend less time on non-binding resolutions and more on equipping our forces. An audit by the Pentagon’s Inspector General released to Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) shows that U.S. soldiers have had to go without the necessary weapons, armor, vehicles, and equipment in Iraq and Afghanistan:

The Inspector General found that the Pentagon hasn’t been able to properly equip the soldiers it already has. Many have gone without enough guns, ammunition, and other necessary supplies to “effectively complete their missions” and have had to cancel or postpone some assignments while waiting for the proper gear, according to the report from auditors with the Defense Dept. Inspector General’s office. Soldiers have also found themselves short on body armor, armored vehicles, and communications equipment, among other things, auditors found.

“As a result, service members performed missions without the proper equipment, used informal procedures to obtain equipment and sustainment support, and canceled or postponed missions while waiting to receive equipment,” reads the executive summary dated Jan. 25. Service members often borrowed or traded with each other to get the needed supplies, according to the summary.

More bombshells are likely to come soon. Following a letter last year from Slaughter to the Pentagon, the Inspector General’s office reported two ongoing audits into the procurement of armored vehicles and body armor for American soldiers. “The results of those studies will be available in July and October of 2007, respectively,” Slaughter’s office says.

Read this! Our own military is saying that there is not equipment to give these troops what they need to even dream of winning. Why does Bush, and the Republicans hate the troops so much

Washington Post (bolds are mine)

Boosting U.S. troop levels in Iraq by 21,500 would create major logistical hurdles for the Army and Marine Corps, which are short thousands of vehicles, armor kits and other equipment needed to supply the extra forces, U.S. officials said.

The increase would also further degrade the readiness of U.S.-based ground forces, hampering their ability to respond quickly, fully trained and well equipped in the case of other military contingencies around the world and increasing the risk of U.S. casualties, according to Army and Marine Corps leaders.

“The response would be slower than we might like, we would not have all of the equipment sets that ordinarily would be the case, and there is certainly risk associated with that,” the Marine Corps commandant, Gen. James Conway, told the House Armed Services Committee last week.

President Bush’s plan to send five additional U.S. combat brigades into Iraq has left the Army and Marines scrambling to ensure that the troops could be supported with the necessary armored vehicles, jamming devices, radios and other gear, as well as lodging and other logistics.

-snip-

Adding to the crunch, the U.S. government has agreed to sell 600 up-armored Humvees to Iraq this year for its security forces. Such sales “better not be at the expense of the American soldier or Marine,” Speakes told defense reporters recently, saying U.S. military needs must take priority.

Yep, read it people, we are willing to sell the damn trucks to Iraq, but fuck the American troops, they can kiss Bush’s ass. This makes me cry how much Bush is willing to toy with American troops lives, so he can cash in. FUCK YOU GEROGE!

For the first time in 6 year common sense and what is good for America and the world won out over the right-wing nut bags�

From the AP

The Democratic-controlled Senate Foreign Relations Committee dismissed President Bush's plans to increase troops strength in Iraq on Wednesday as "not in the national interest," an unusual wartime repudiation of the commander in chief.

The vote on the nonbinding measure was 12-9 and largely along party lines.

"We better be damn sure we know what we're doing, all of us, before we put 22,000 more Americans into that grinder," said Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, the sole Republican to join 11 Democrats in support of the measure.

Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., the panel's chairman, said the legislation is "not an attempt to embarrass the president. … It's an attempt to save the president from making a significant mistake with regard to our policy in Iraq."

�19� 25 soldiers were killed on Saturday

Read Here is a new link

This story shows just how in the can the "President" has driven our military into the gorund.

From the BBC

The US Army is to apologise to the families of officers killed or wounded in action who were sent letters urging them to return to active duty.

The letters were sent to more than 5,100 Army officers listed as recently having left the military.

But this figure included about 75 officers killed in action and about 200 wounded in action.

More than 3,000 members of the US military have died in Iraq since the war began.

Casualties have also been suffered in Afghanistan since the US invasion.

"Army personnel officials are contacting those officers' families now to personally apologise for erroneously sending the letters," the army said in a statement.

It said the database normally used for such correspondence with former officers had been "thoroughly reviewed" to remove the names of dead and wounded soldiers.

"But an earlier list was used inadvertently for the December mailings," it added.

Enjoy your turkey…

Attack on Baghdad Shiite Slum Kills 161

I want to say that I support Charles Rangel�s call to reinstate the draft, but unlike Rangel, I mean it, I really want the draft back, he is only asking for it back to inspire debate over war.

In the past when America went to war, we sent our young men far away, and on the home front we sacrificed as well. We rationed food, gas, rubber, you name it, it was all about the war effort. This administration has asked for nothing from the American people, in fact, Bush asked us to support the war effort by taking out large home equity loans and buying SUV�s that somehow this would support the troops. Fact is most Americans are not even sure we are at war. The US lead war in Iraq as about as much impact to most Americans as the current wars raging in Africa, and this is tragic. When a nation goes to war, the whole nation should go to war.

This brings me to my point, if we can not recruit the men we need to fight the wars we choose to wage, then we need to draft them. I think that the draft would break up the apathy that has plagued Americans. The site of an empty chair at the Thanksgiving table would give pause to the consequences of the votes we cast, or don�t cast.

You are welcome to comment, just keep it on topic and debate, not yell and throw a fit.

Even more proof that the Republicans �We Support the Troop� is nothing more than smoke and mirrors. The Bush administration and the hack Republicans want the American people to think that the economy is going great, and for a very small few it is, for our boys coming home from the battle fields of Iraq, no so well.

The boots on the ground in Iraq, the Privates and Sergeants can not find a job when the come home. According to Census data from last year found an 18.7 unemployment rate for veterans between the ages of 18 and 24. For those that did not serve of the same age, the unemployment rate was 9.9 percent.