Suicide

Does anyone else see the poignancy of the "spiraling number" of suicides among American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition to being profoundly sad, it also makes me wonder if suicides are happening on the other side. The answer is yes - we know them as suicide bombers, mainly Iraqi women lately.

So. Insurgents and Taliban are killing Americans. Iraqi women bombers are killing Americans. And Americans are killing themselves. The odds seem not to be in our favor when both sides of the conflict agree on who shall be killed.

Sickeningly, Army Secretary Pete Geren said this week, according to MSNBC, that "officials are stumped" at the number of cases. Maybe being stuck on the other side of the world, facing death daily, being separated from loved ones, dealing with sand and military rations and foreign culture every second of the day, for repeated tours and no end in sight, maybe it just gets to a fellow.