The Media Misinforms About Military Suicides
Far Left writer of The Washington Post, Dana Priest, takes a swipe at the military.
It’s that time again for the media to misinform the public about military fatalities. This time it was The Washington Post‘s turn to publish the antiwar hit piece on the military.
Here is what you are told:
Suicides among active-duty soldiers in 2007 reached their highest level since the Army began keeping such records in 1980, according to a draft internal study obtained by The Washington Post. Last year, 121 soldiers took their own lives, nearly 20 percent more than in 2006.
Here are the actual statistics from 1980-2006…
Military Deaths Since 1980:
Click to Enlarge
And, here is what the WaPo won’t tell you…
** The number of military suicides dropped during the Bush years compared to the Clinton years.
Through 2006 (from table above):
What do you suppose drove our soldiers to commit suicide when the Clintons were in office?
And, how will the media explain this?
And… US soldiers are also less likely to commit suicide than the general population.
Poynter Online reported back in August:
The 17/100,000 rate is right on track with what the rate is for all males in the United States…
When you consider that most serving in Iraq are young, you might find that the suicide rate among those serving in Iraq could be even less than their peers in the general population. The suicide rate for 20 to 24-year-old males in the United States is 20/100,000 [pdf].
This isn’t the first time the media misinformed on this serious issue.
Previously:
Since Clintons Left Office Fewer Soldiers Kill Themselves
MEDIA MISINFORMS: Fewer Soldiers Commit Suicide During Bush Years
MORE… “It’s not only that you lie; You lie badly.”
