16 US troops commit suicide in Iraq

Still calling this story a flat out LIE.

Still searching for a 57th Airborne Unit. NOT finding anything.


Found this:

57th Transportation Battalion, 593rd Corps Support Group, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Link

Still searching. I would hope the OP is also searching to verify that the source he provided is legit and not complete lies.

[edit on 9/8/2008 by greeneyedleo]

Mod Edit: Fixed Link.

[edit on 8/9/2008 by Mirthful Me]

I'm going to say as an American adult, is that it would be foolish to believe the American media. Of course you will not see this story on the 6 pm news. Our government would never allow it. Unfortunately, the only way we would get a story like this would be from outside sources.

Honestly, 16 troops committing suicide would not surprise me. I am surprised that we don't hear more of it, if any at all. I pray for those poor kids every day. Most had no idea what they were getting into.

I can see why this may be propaganda because of the source. But I was thinking about how soldiers are given orders and go though with these orders because they cannot commit "mutiny" but what if these orders are so horrific that they can't live with what they have done. I would think that a story like this would not be one that our military would like leaked. I am not saying I think it's true but it got me thinking... After what went down at the RNC and seeing the types of things cops were ordered to do I can't help but think that many of these cops were just doing what they were told and/or backing up their fellow police officer because of the "brotherhood." And then when I thought of that I thought of all of the "good" cops who are at home sick to their stomachs after doing what they did. Off topic but it is where my mind went.

To try to understand why our soldiers would do and have done the horrific things that some have I can't wrap my mind around how they could do these things and remain a moral human. It is because their moral compasses are being manipulated by an outside source. I can see this to be a possible truth.

It sounds like stories I have heard about things that happened in Vietnam. We as a planet need to take heed from this story even if it is not true. I know it is idealist but how do we not see this neverending cycle show that we are killing ourselves by killing our "enemies?"

-I kind had a little tangent there. Sorry.

It never ceases to amaze me how a story can still hobble along after it is totally debunked and the appendages have been chopped off of it. Monty Python's Black Knight.

[edit on 8-9-2008 by SectionEight]

Originally posted by 20 Eyes
I'm going to say as an American adult, is that it would be foolish to believe the American media. Of course you will not see this story on the 6 pm news. Our government would never allow it. Unfortunately, the only way we would get a story like this would be from outside sources.

Honestly, 16 troops committing suicide would not surprise me. I am surprised that we don't hear more of it, if any at all. I pray for those poor kids every day. Most had no idea what they were getting into.

You think it would be foolish to believe ANYTHING the American media has to say? You are the foolish one then, champ. There is a certain amount of spin from any news agency, but very little of the stuff coming out of MSM in the USA is flat out lies. Your paranoia is showing.

And by the way, why would 16 troops committing suicide not surprise you? Soldiers are a strong breed, what makes you think you have the kind of experience necessary to even contemplate the stresses involved in that type of situation? In any case this is Iranian propaganda STRAIGHT from Tehran. The Iranians would be extremely happy to know that some idiot out there actually bought this story.

[edit on 8-9-2008 by ppskylight]

reply to post by ppskylight


Im sorry you think of me as anti American but im not, America has had a big part in uniting Ireland under one flag. My country went through 800+ years of oppression from the British Government. Only in the last 20 years or so have things changed here. But through from say 1700 to the late 1970's we suffered terrible acts of evil and injustice and the majority were never reported in any news or publication, so you cant say that if you don't see it on mainstream media that it isn't true.

reply to post by Major Discrepancy


Every time I ready your posts I picture R. Lee Ermey saying the whole thing. I think its just propaganda, but lets say it's real for a second and they all did die but really murdered and covered up to keep them from talking to any members of any investigation that we don't know about.

[edit on 9/8/2008 by CaptGizmo]

I did a search for the 57th on ako and came up with a air medic company no such airborne unit that I could find I allsow searched the Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register
and found this in ref to the 57th airborne unit
57th Aviation Company
Valorous Unit Award—14 Aug 69–20 Jan 70, DAGO 43, 72
Meritorious Unit Commendation—Dec 65–Jun 66, DAGO 17, 68
RVN Gallantry Cross w/Palm—22 Feb 67–17 May 68, DAGO 21,
69; 1 Apr–26 Jun 70, DAGO 11,73
RVN Civil Actions Honor Medal, FC—1 Jul–21 Dec 70, DAGO 5,
73
57th Infantry Platoon
RVN Gallantry Cross w/Palm—24 Aug–31 Dec 69 and 31 Mar–30
Jun 70, DAGO 42, 72; 1 Apr–30 Jun 71 DAGO 6, 74; 1 Mar–9 Oct
71 DAGO 6, 74

57th Medical Detachment
Presidential Unit Citation—10–13 Jun 65, DAGO 43, 66
Meritorious Unit Commendation—Mar 64–Apr 65, DAGO 3, 66; 16
Feb–31 Dec 68, DAGO 51, 71, revoked DAGO 2, 71 which
amended DAGO 36, 70; 1 Jan 69–30 Apr 70, DAGO 24, 72; 1 May
70–30 Apr 71, DAGO 5,73; 31 May 72–28 Mar 73, DAGO 6, 74
RVN Gallantry Cross w/Palm—2–12 Jun 64, DAGO 46, 68
57th Transportation Battalion
Meritorious Unit Commendation—28 Dec 68–31 Mar 70, DAGO
52, 74
57th Transportation Company
Meritorious Unit Commendation—29 Mar–31 Dec 68, DAGO 39,
70
RVN Gallantry Cross w/Palm—1 Mar–9 Oct 71, DAGO 6,

hope this helps with the searching plesent day.

[edit on 8-9-2008 by SPC_D]

reply to post by MarkAkaSilent

"...There is no "57th Unit of the Airborne Division". The story is a hoax... Not even very well written. I suggest not spreading the article around, since there's no evidence at all whatsoever to support the claims made."

this is a hoax

I was actually hoping to avert a big search for the "57th Company of the Airborne Division" as there is not or has there ever been such a thing, even in a support role.
Vance

reply to post by vance


Actually there is a 57th Airborne Division. It's just not active anymore or at least not since 14 June 1991.

Established as the 8th Pursuit Wing, it conducted training from 1940 to 1941. As a paper unit, it moved to India and then to Egypt in December 1942, finally gained personnel and aircraft, and became operational in March 1944. Initially, the 57th flew close air support missions against enemy troops and gun emplacements in the vicinity of Anzio, Italy; later, it flew bombing missions against railway marshalling yards at Foligno, Littoria, and Terni, Italy.

en.wikipedia.org...

I'm sorry but you cant dismiss it as not being true yet, maybe they received half information or they got some of it wrong but i still think that there's some truth in it and its being covered up very well but we shall see over the next few days.

reply to post by CaptGizmo


I was taliking about a "57th Unit of the Airborne Division" not the 57th Air Division. You got a lot of stars for the reply funny lol. That is how a lot of info gets screwed up Someone reads something and interprets it all wrong then passes the wrong info around some more. Too funny.

Originally posted by MarkAkaSilent
I'm sorry but you cant dismiss it as not being true yet, maybe they received half information or they got some of it wrong but i still think that there's some truth in it and its being covered up very well but we shall see over the next few days.

I called a friend on a DSN just now he is in Iraq just to make sure I was not posting bad info, there is no 57 airborne in Iraq just so you know.
and I asked him about this there was NO self harm today or any day this week. now he is not going to lie to me and I can say I did this all day long I can't provide proof outher than my word. and for that I am sorry.

and Mark or Silent or whatever, please allways fact check the news you post. I would hate to see something you post come back to nip you in the butt so to speek. as for there being something there you might be right but not on this news story.

reply to post by SPC_D


THANK YOU for making that call.

Now this thread should be moved to SKUNK WORKS. It is NOT breaking news. It is a big fat lie.

reply to post by greeneyedleo

Thank you Greeneyedleo, as for moving this thread I second that I hope it gets moved promptly. Like I allways say you cant beat good ol truth.

That sounds fishy to me. And we are just hearing about it after 27 days. I was born at night but not last night!

reply to post by sqid4life

Hey there Squid or Shipmate or whatever, good evening to you and just so you know this story is false. We have proved it so. There is no need to get upset just "Count Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums" as Maynard James Keenan so wonderfully put it.

[edit on 8-9-2008 by SPC_D]

Concern mounts over rising troop suicides
updated 8:34 a.m. EST, Sun February 3, 2008

Every day, five U.S. soldiers try to kill themselves.
Before the Iraq war began, that figure was less than one suicide attempt a day.

The dramatic increase is revealed in new U.S. Army figures, which show 2,100 soldiers tried to commit suicide in 2007. "Suicide attempts are rising and have risen over the last five years," said Col. Elspeth Cameron-Ritchie, an Army psychiatrist.
-
Last year's 2,100 attempted suicides -- an average of more than 5 per day -- compares with about 350 suicide attempts in 2002, the year before the war in Iraq began, according to the Army.
-
The Army lists 89 soldier deaths in 2007 as suicides and is investigating 32 more as possible suicides.

Suicide rates already were up in 2006 with 102 deaths, compared with 87 in 2005.
CNN

my edit and bold

I don't know if this particular story is true (could be fiction) but the issue itself is extremely valid and a major concern. With those kind of numbers coming from the Army itself a scenario such as this is possible and is far from being outrageous or propaganda.

It's an issue we should take very seriously whether this story is real or not.

- Lee

Sometimes news emerges from unexpected outlets but this does not appear to be one of those times. I think we can all agree that if there was a mass suicide by narcotics that turned you into a mummy it would be worthy of discussion.