American soldiers serving in Afghanistan are depressed and deeply disillusioned, according to the chaplains of two US battalions that have spent nine months on the front line in the war against the Taleban.
Many feel that they are risking their lives — and that colleagues have died — for a futile mission and an Afghan population that does nothing to help them, the chaplains told The Times in their makeshift chapel on this fortress-like base in a dusty, brown valley southwest of Kabul.
“The many soldiers who come to see us have a sense of futility and anger about being here. They are really in a state of depression and despair and just want to get back to their families,” said Captain Jeff Masengale, of the 10th Mountain Division’s 2-87 Infantry Battalion.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/Afghanistan/article6865359.ece
FYI, The Times of London is a Murdoch paper and quite conservative and well-respected.
Now, you want to change the subject and try and indicate that American soldiers are depressed.
Well, I know quite af few who have served there and are serving their and those I know are not depressed. They are concerned because they feel the current administration will make what they have fought for in vain...but, up to this time, there has been a significant re-up rate amonst those soldiers. Most of those understand that fighting the islamic jihadist and extremists there has made it much more difficult for them to plan attacks and bring them here.
I have no doubt that there are those who are depressed, and that there are those who question things. When you have tens of thousands of people involved in any endeavor that will be the case.
But remember, these are all volunteers. And as I stated, up to this point many of them have volunteered over and over again. You might want to ask yourself why.
As I said, based on my own friends, the answer is clear.