-
Dallas Morning News
|
Apr 24, 08 3:09 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A Democratic senator is calling for the resignation of the Veterans Administration mental health chief, accusing him of deliberately hiding the truth about suicide attempts among US veterans, the Dallas Morning News reports. A secret agency email put the number of suicide attempts at 12,000 a year—not the 790 the VA officially reported, according to court documents released in a lawsuit by two veterans groups.
More »
-
-
Associated Press
|
Apr 23, 08 10:49 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Gen. David Petraeus was tapped today to be the next commander of US Central Command, in charge of military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. If confirmed, Petraeus would replace Adm. William Fallon, who stepped down over disagreements with President Bush over Iran policy, the AP reports. "I don't know anybody in the US military better qualified to lead that effort," Defense Secretary Robert Gates said.
More »
-
Military Times
|
Apr 23, 08 9:12 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A Republican lawmaker wants to keep America's fighting men and women out of harm's way—the harm he says is caused by exposure to incoming copies of Playboy and Penthouse . The Military Honor and Decency Act sponsored by Georgia congressman Paul Broun would tighten existing laws to prevent the magazines from being sold on military bases, reports the Military Times .
More »
-
Reuters
|
Apr 22, 08 2:36 PM CDT
(Newser) -
An 84-year old American engineer was arrested today on charges of providing information on US military technology to Israel, Reuters reports. Ben-Ami Kadish, 83, has already admitted in FBI interviews to giving an unnamed Israeli source around 100 documents on nuclear weapons, the F-15 jet and the Patriot missile defense system in 1979-85. He will be arraigned this afternoon in Manhattan.
More »
-
-
Navy Times
|
Apr 22, 08 2:39 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A Navy officer accused of lying to investigators has been reprimanded and will take early retirement, the Navy Times reports. Rear Admiral John "Boomer" Stufflebeem was found to have made false statements about what was termed an "inappropriate relationship" while he was a military aide to former President Bush 18 years ago. The nature of the relationship was not disclosed.
More »
-
Associated Press
|
Apr 21, 08 8:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The US Army and Marines are signing up more felons in an effort to overcome flagging enlistment, the AP reports. The Army doubled its recruitment of felons last year and the Marines upped theirs from 208 to 350—including conscripts with sex crime and manslaughter convictions. The rise in felon recruits "may be undermining military readiness," said Rep. Henry Waxman, who revealed the data.
More »
-
Washington Post
|
Apr 21, 08 4:46 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Robert Gates chided the Air Force today for being slow to change and for not providing enough help in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Addressing American and international student officers in Alabama, the defense secretary said getting the USAF to adapt, particularly in the use of drone aircraft, has been "like pulling teeth," the Washington Post reports.
More »
-
Associated Press
|
Apr 21, 08 11:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Veterans Affairs hasn’t done enough to stem the “rising tide” of suicides and mental health problems, according to a class action lawsuit going to trial this week. Roughly 20% of deployed US troops are suffering from mental illness, a recent study shows, and an average of 18 kill themselves each day. “The VA has simply not devoted enough resources,” said one plaintiff lawyer. “They don’t have enough psychiatrists.”
More »
-
Los Angeles Times
|
Apr 20, 08 5:51 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Many grieving families are outraged that they cannot sue over medical malpractice in military hospitals, the Los Angeles Times reports. Some have seen sons and husbands—all active duty service members—die in hospitals where resources are stretched thin. But a 1950 Supreme Court ruling created the Feres doctrine, which protects military doctors and their staffs from malpractice suits.
More »
-
New York Times
|
Apr 20, 08 2:25 PM CDT
(Newser) -
US commanders are itching to strike tribal militants in Pakistan, but Washington fears such a move could anger Islamabad's new leaders, the New York Times reports. American intelligence officials say the region is a growing threat, and warn that militants are forging alliances with al-Qaeda. But Pakistan is in talks with tribal leaders and doesn't want them scuttled by US attacks.
More »
-
CNN
|
Apr 19, 08 4:48 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Moqtada al-Sadr today threatened today to “declare a war” against Iraq unless it curbs attacks on his Mahdi Army, CNN reports. “I’m giving the last warning to the Iraqi government,” he said. “If the government does not stop the militias infiltrated with them, then we will declare an open war.” Al-Sadr had declared a ceasefire in August.
More »
-
Reuters
|
Apr 19, 08 9:11 AM CDT
(Newser) -
In a major new clash, Iraqi troops backed by American and British firepower today captured a stronghold of fighters loyal to Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr in Basra, said Iraqi officials. In a show of force, American planes and British artillery attacked a deserted area outside the Sadr-controlled section of Hayaniya before Iraqi troops moved into the neighborhood and seized the center, Reuters reports.
More »
-
Guardian (UK)
|
Apr 19, 08 7:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Bush administration "hoodwinked" one of the country's top military men in order to establish harsh interrogation techniques on Guantanamo Bay prisoners, according to revelations in a new book reported in the Guardian. Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard Myers was misled by White House aides into abandoning the military's long-standing ban on inhumane treatment of prisoners, according to London law professor Phillipe Sands in his book Torture Team.
More »
-
CNN
|
Apr 18, 08 9:25 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Dozens of US sailors and Eastern European women have been arrested for their part in a purported mass-marriage fraud ring, CNN reports. Sailors allegedly tied the knot with women they barely knew, netting the wives green cards and the sailors marriage benefits totaling roughly $500,000. “What we see are small pockets of friends forming this conspiracy,” said the investigating agent.
More »
-
New York Times
|
Apr 18, 08 6:26 AM CDT
(Newser) -
American forces have begun construction of an enormous concrete wall that will partition Sadr City, one of Baghdad's most dangerous neighborhood. The structure is intended to make the southern section of Sadr City, a Shiite stronghold that borders the Green Zone, into a protected enclave, reports the New York Times . Walls in other parts of Baghdad have succeeded in blunting insurgent attacks, despite residents' fears of isolation.
More »
-
Associated Press
|
Apr 17, 08 3:40 PM CDT
(Newser) -
300,000 veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have either post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression, and another 320,000 suffered brain injuries, the AP reports. RAND Corporation, in the first private evaluation of mental injury from the conflicts, found 18.5% of combat troops suffered from major depression or PTSD. "There is a major health crisis facing those who have served," said a researcher.
More »