NBC REPORTS: SOLDIERS: LONG TOURS CREATE "LOTS OF STRESS"

By John Rutherford, Producer, NBC News, Washington
http://fieldnotes.msnbc.msn.com/

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Three soldiers receiving Purple Hearts today at Walter Reed Army Medical Center spoke about the strains on soldiers in Iraq that contributed to a record number of suicides last year in the Army.

The Army reported last Thursday there were 115 suicides in 2007, the highest number since it began keeping records of suicides in 1980.

So far this year, there have been 38 confirmed suicides.

"There's a lot of strain because probably a lot of people are ready to come home," said Staff Sgt. Bennie Lamb, 40, of Macon, Ga., who was on his third tour in Iraq when he was wounded March 14 by a suicide bomber.

NAMES, HOMETOWNS OF LATEST U.S. IRAQ CASUALTIES

The war in Iraq is still going on even though you would never know it from watching TV or reading the newspapers, and young Americans are still dying every single day in Iraq.

Latest Coalition Fatalities
Source: http://icasualties.org/oif/ Click on "BLUE" for more infor

06/03/08 DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Spc. Christopher D. McCarthy, of Virginia Beach, Va., died 1 June 2008 at Forward Operating Base Ramadi, Iraq. His death is under investigation. He was assigned to the U.S. Joint Forces Command, Joint Reserve Unit, Norfolk, Va.

06/03/08 MNF: MND-B Soldier dies of non-battle related cause
A Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldier died from a non-battle related cause at approximately 8 a.m. June 3. The Soldier's name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin and release by the Department of Defense.

06/03/08 DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Spc. Justin R. Mixon, 22, of Bogalusa, La., died June 1 in Baghdad Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany.

06/02/08 DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
Cpl. Christian S. Cotner, 20, of Waterbury, Conn., died May 30 from a non-hostile incident in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, Marine Wing Support Group 17, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing...

06/02/08 MNF: MNF-W Soldier dies in non-combat related incident
A Multi-National Force - West Soldier died as the result of a non-combat related incident June 1. The Soldier’s name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin and release by the Department of Defense.

WASHINGTON POST: IRAQ LIKELY TO MISS DEADLINE FOR PACT WITH U.S.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A July target for negotiating an agreement on future relations between Iraq and the United States is likely to be missed, an Iraqi government spokesman said on Tuesday.

Iraq says likely to miss deadline for U.S. pact
ReutersTuesday, June 3, 2008; 1:51 PM

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/03/AR2008060301638.html

U.S. and Iraqi officials began talks in March on twin agreements on the status of U.S. military forces in Iraq after 2008 and a strategic framework agreement that defines long-term bilateral ties.

Washington has said it aims to wrap up the talks by July, but Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said that was unlikely to happen.

"I don't think that we can meet this date. There is a difference in viewpoints between Iraq and the U.S. I don't think that time is enough to end this gap and to reach a joint understanding ... Therefore, we are not committed to July as a deadline," he told al-Arabiya television.

He also said Iraq was looking into possible alternatives if it could not reach agreement with the United States on their long-term relations, but he gave no details.

The talks have angered many Iraqis who suspect the United States, which led the 2003 invasion of Iraq and has around 155,000 troops in the country, of wanting to keep a permanent presence there.

Click on link http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/03/AR2008060301638.html to read complete story.

VIDEO: "FOX AND FRIENDS" ACCUSE NBC/MSNBC OF BIAS

This video is a little like the kettle calling the pot black. No pun intended. But if anyone has shown they are a biased network it is FOX NEWS. What do they think Brit Hume and his nightly panel are when it comes to the news? They are ALL extreme right wingers. Then there is Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and Neil Cavuto plus a host of so-called "correspondents" and so-called "reporters" at FOX NEWS who every single day show their right wing bias and bash the Democrats, and especially Barack Obama. Sean Hannity, IMO, is by far the worst. He never stops bashing Obama and keeps running over and over the Rev. Wright and Father Pfleger videos plus making accusations which cannot be supported by fact.

Take a look for yourself what the "crew" at "Fox and Friends" had to say in this video:
http://www.mediachannel.org/wordpress/2008/06/03/fox-accuses-msnbc-of-media-bias/

VIDEO: FIVE MILLION ORPHANS IN IRAQ. (THIS VIDEO WILL BREAK YOUR HEART)

Alive in Baghad, one of the best news services in Iraq, reports there are now five million Iraqi orphans as the result of the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq. This video shows one of the orphanages that is in good shape, but most of the orphanages in Iraq are a disgrace.

See Video here: http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=1478