Amputations Surging In Afghanistan Among U.S. Troops

USA Today:

The number of U.S. soldiers who have suffered amputations in Afghanistan has increased sharply over last year as more troops move into Taliban territory, according to Army data.

Amputations rose from 47 in 2009 to 77 through Sept. 23 of this year, or an increase of more than 60%, the Army reports.

The chief cause of the injuries are improvised explosive devices -- or IEDs -- that are planted in the ground or along roads, according to the International Security Assistance Force, which oversees military operations in Afghanistan.

Read the whole story: USA Today

Comments

[CarolinaDem]

02:56 PM on 10/06/2010

Let's put up a huge statue of a nice modern prosthetic foot right smack in the sidewalk outside the Stock Exchange on Wall Street. Maybe with a sign that says, 'Gave At the Office'.

[CarolinaDem]

02:54 PM on 10/06/2010

There is no worse crime than to mistake the threat posed by another nation which is not going to war and take war to them. It is THE crime of kings, the highest conceivable crime. A nation which continually fails to recognize this simple fact is already dead meat.

[santafesam]

12:51 PM on 10/06/2010

Our brave and heroic sons and daughters being maimed and mutilated for the great greed is utterly disgusting. This has got to stop. What will it take to end this??

[JimMichie]

01:14 PM on 10/06/2010

A REVOLUTION! That's what it will take. Go to truthdig.com and read the Chris Hedges piece, "The March To Nowwhere." The bottom line is that our economy depends on wars and the corporate state rules! This nation, once a developing democracy, has produced two classes of people: "the haves" and "the been-hads." I'll bet you're one of the "been-hads." No choice in joining that club.

[amitta]

12:03 PM on 10/06/2010

where are the articles about all the afghan/pakistan innocent civilians who are injured/killed by our bombs.
they didn't enlist in this war.

[CarolinaDem]

02:50 PM on 10/06/2010

Check out the movie "Kandahar", an absolutely beautiful and mesmerizing film, for astonishing clues about the role of what we call 'prosthetics' in the lives of Afghans BEFORE 9/11, when it was Russian mines and CIA-supplied cluster munitions that were doing the dirty deeds on the civilians. It will not break your heart open but it will help you to know that you deserve the fanning I'm giving you for your comment.

[SrAN]

01:22 PM on 10/08/2010

Many of them are being taken care of by our soldiers in the medical career field. My husband was one of those who provided medical care to those civilians wounded in the Middle East. This doesn't get broadcasted because it doesnt bring in as many ratings as the horrors that go on because of the war.

[ShirleeK]

11:25 AM on 10/06/2010

Can we please stop this horror and become a peaceful nation?

[Vroomfondel]

03:34 PM on 10/06/2010

I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel.

[SwimUpstream]

11:12 AM on 10/06/2010

It's time to send Obama's family to Afghanistan. It might cause him to think a little differently about the devastation that his failed policies are causing.

[lightningbolt]

11:04 AM on 10/06/2010

It is extremely sad to see soldiers losing their lives and parts of their bodies for corporate profits.

[anitaj]

01:06 PM on 10/06/2010

Faved. Already a fan.

[NorthernCaliforniaDave]

10:43 AM on 10/06/2010

I wish this young man the very best! However, I can't help but feel that if this was a politician's son there might be a different story. The song 'War Pigs' keeps playing over and over in my head.

STOP THIS NEEDLESS WAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BRING BACK THE DRAFT and see how long this 'war' lasts.

[Stokes]

03:33 PM on 10/06/2010

Photos of injured troops and innocent civilians should be hung on the walls of Congress, The CIA, the Pentagon, the halls of the Wall Street offices and let us not forget the big banks of the WORLD. I hate to see it come, but perhaps a draft will be the only thing that can bring the warring factors together with diplomacy. This world is filled to overflowing with cruel and greedy people. God help us all.

[dhinds]

07:42 PM on 10/07/2010

Bringing back The Draft would revive Fragging.

[gwinegarden]

09:49 AM on 10/06/2010

I;m sorry, but is this supposed to be surprising?

[rockintheboat]

09:45 AM on 10/06/2010

S T O P The W A R

Obama is a hawk president who will NEVER end the war the US wages with the world.

[Stokes]

03:18 PM on 10/06/2010

I sometimes wonder if people who blame Obama for all that is going on now have ever read the news before Obama took on the job of trying to clean up the mess made by others. You sound like one of those brainwashed republicans.

[sandiegowoman]

09:37 AM on 10/06/2010

While this is sad, he is so young and this so called war is so pointless, there are even younger victims than this. Amputations are surging for the children in Afghanistan and surged all the hell over Iraq. Here is a group trying to bring some light and hope for these youngest casualties. I met Salee when she first came to the US for treatment. Brave and wonderful child.

http://www.nomorevictims.org/

[jnratliff]

09:33 AM on 10/06/2010

I wonder if this young man knew his country would take an arm and a leg and leave him to what he has left?
My daughter is to old to be in the Army, My grandchildren are to young. You can bet however that I will tell them before they become adults to never be persuaded to join the Army!

[SGTDBK]

11:28 AM on 10/06/2010

Good just enjoy your unearned freedoms and forget about all the past heroes who make it possible to put your little rant on this post.

I hope your children/grandchildren grow up to be an American.

[sgtdbksgirl]

11:40 AM on 10/06/2010

it's funny how people tend to "forget" about the fact that if these soldiers weren't risking thier LIVES for us things would be a lot different. most people like freedom. in my opionion i owe them a thank you!

[CologneCitizen]

01:26 PM on 10/06/2010

very well said.

No country is worth risking live or health for. The only ones worth to defend are your loved ones. Are they threatened by Al Quaida ? No. So why should someone risk his life for profits of corporations ? American people have no beef with the Afghan people and the Afghan none with the Americans as soon as they leave their country.

[Vajara]

09:28 AM on 10/06/2010

This picture and injury to a young soldier is tragic and every parent or concerned citizen of the world should protest this war that is only continuing as a political and competitive venture. Our leaders of the world use our security forces to do the job that they should be doing themselves; however, their failed policies, values, religions, and negotiations continue to put our youth and experienced warriors at risk, with no end in sight. Our President and his war mongering staff and Pentagon must put an end to this debacle NOW.

Why would our country risk the life and limbs of any more of our courageous warriors for a mission that has been doomed to fail from its inception? Just picture your own child returning home with these horrendous injuries or not returning home alive at all.

[StevieRae]

09:26 AM on 10/06/2010

Notwithstanding my other posts, I still believe that invading Iraq and now our war efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan is all about OIL. The truth is our US political and military leaders are trying to figure out how best to protect our access to oil. Sadly and tragically, our leaders are not speaking to us honestly about why we need to pursue a similar "land on the moon in 10 years" national strategy for alternative energy.

Given our unwillingness, most strategic thinkers realize that if we pull out totally, our economy, our country will be more vulnerable and the impacts more wide spread than another terrorist attack. But we refuse to have this conversation.

[StevieRae]

09:36 AM on 10/06/2010

Except for Obama.....he's tried to convince people about the need to pursue alternative energy BUT hasn't been open about our current vulnerabilities and why we need to maintain a presence in the middle east.

[CaveatLector]

09:14 AM on 10/06/2010

I'm sickened by this photograph. I do not in any way mean to disrespect the brave young men and women who are willing to sacrifice their bodies and lives for ME. What upsets me, however, is that they THINK they are saving the world from terrorist oppression, while Karzai begins having sit-down meetings with the Taliban.

I'm in my forties and for as long as I can remember, we have been fighting some war, some where, in an effort to save some distorted notion of 'freedom.' Is the world safer since we entered this savage battle? Are we?

But forget about that for a moment; I hear stories every day about how some struggling veteran can't find a job, can't get disability, is thrown onto the street, etc. It reminds me of the post Vietnam era, when returning soliders were jeered at and called 'baby-killers.' You still see them....now in their sixties, panhandling on street corners, sleeping in cardboard boxes.

The emotional scars we are inflicting on an entire generation will be felt by all of society as the damage spreads and ripples through famiies in the next 10, 20, 30 years...

[Ascoli]

09:26 AM on 10/06/2010

The photo sickened me too.
Fanned