Ron Paul at Ron Paul Institute: The Death of Daniel Somers

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monday june 24, 2013

I am reading the heartbreaking suicide note of Daniel Somers, a US combat veteran who spent several years fighting in Iraq. Mr. Somers was only 30 years old when he took his own life, after being tormented by the horrific memories of what he experienced in Iraq. He wrote:


“The simple truth is this: During my first deployment, I was made to participate in things, the enormity of which is hard to describe. War crimes, crimes against humanity. Though I did not participate willingly, and made what I thought was my best effort to stop these events, there are some things that a person simply can not come back from.”

Many who shout the loudest that we must “support the troops” urge sending them off to unwinnable and undeclared wars in which there is no legitimate US interest. The US military has been abused by those who see military force as a first resort rather than the last resort and only in self-defense. This abuse has resulted in a generation of American veterans facing a life sentence in the prison of tortured and deeply damaged minds as well as broken bodies.

The numbers sadly tell the story: more military suicides than combat deaths in 2012, some 22 military veterans take their lives every day, nearly 30 percent of veterans treated by the VA have PTSD.

We should be saddened but not shocked when we see the broken men and women return from battles overseas. We should be angry with those who send them to suffer and die in unnecessary wars. We should be angry with those who send them to kill so many people overseas for no purpose whatsoever. We should be afraid of the consequences of such a foolish and dangerous foreign policy. We should demand an end to the abuse of military members and a return to a foreign policy that promotes peace and prosperity instead of war and poverty.

Copyright © 2013, The Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted provided full credit is given and a live link provided.

Written by Ron Paul

http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2013/june/24/the-death-of-daniel-somers.aspx

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bump

[ClydeCoulter]

I read the letter, it's heartbreaking alright. A friend had posted it on FB.

[sailingaway]

Someone on twitter just made a new Ron Paul bumpersticker:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BNkw2IdCEAImKqX.png:large

https://twitter.com/TheStickerKing/status/349364152629858307/photo/1

[randpaul2016]

wait did he say he witnessed actual war crimes?

[kcchiefs6465]

wait did he say he witnessed actual war crimes?
Participated in, witnessed, yes.

He was a machine gunner on a Humvee. He has seen some things.

The whole damn war was criminal. There were no WMDs in Iraq, (and even if there were) they had nothing to do with 9/11. Off of the top of my head, here's a few things to look into. I am sure Daniel Somers was aware of these, whether he saw them personally or participated in them I do not know. Simply being there is participating in a war crime. Every person shot for defending their country.

White Phosphorus in Fallujah, MK-77 bombs, Depleted Uranium, children/people being ran over by the convoys, and a lot more that I couldn't even imagine... the accidental shooting of kids, civilians, etc. The torture of many, many people.

War is hell. I am sure he has done some unforgivable things. May God have mercy on his soul.

[talkingpointes]

Participated in, witnessed, yes.

He was a machine gunner on a Humvee. He has seen some things.

The whole damn war was criminal. There were no WMDs in Iraq, (and even if there were) they had nothing to do with 9/11. Off of the top of my head, here's a few things to look into. I am sure Daniel Somers was aware of these, whether he saw them personally or participated in them I do not know. Simply being there is participating in a war crime. Every person shot for defending their country.

White Phosphorus in Fallujah, MK-77 bombs, Depleted Uranium, children/people being ran over by the convoys, and a lot more that I couldn't even imagine... the accidental shooting of kids, civilians, etc. The torture of many, many people.

War is hell. I am sure he has done some unforgivable things. May God have mercy on his soul.

My brothers first confimed kill was actually like a 5-6 year old boy that ran out in front of the convoy the day we invaded Iraq. (it's wierd to think that can happen but it does)

A guy using a heavy mg would see bodies exploding. "Once you open a large wound on the front of the body it's like they are spring-loaded". Heard that more then once from his buddies.

[ONUV]

sickening comments on the blaze

[kcchiefs6465]

sickening comments on the blaze
Such as?

I don't give that site traffic on general principle.

[kcchiefs6465]

My brothers first confimed kill was actually like a 5-6 year old boy that ran out in front of the convoy the day we invaded Iraq. (it's wierd to think that can happen but it does)

A guy using a heavy mg would see bodies exploding. "Once you open a large wound on the front of the body it's like they are spring-loaded". Heard that more then once from his buddies.
Yeah, from what I've heard if you are in the convoy they tell you not to stop. I've seen video of them running cars off the road or shooting at cars to get them to move. They don't want to be ambushed. If a child runs out into the road, the child is getting ran over.

I almost went myself. I needed the money. My dad did the army thing and almost had his thumb sliced completely off during a training accident. He said they were hesitant to give him medical help and kept insisting he lose his thumb. He was and still is pretty pissed off at how they treated him. Told me if I ever got injured over there it would be a tough luck kind of thing. He was pretty much right and I'm glad I didn't go. It would be hitting me about now assuming I even made it back in one piece. I was just a kid back then, and for $40,000 signing bonus I was ready to go anywhere. Plus the whole false sense of patriotism. I remember watching the buildings fall in school and thought we were in the right. If they paid I really wouldn't care the reasons at the time.

He never saw combat but his brother did. He's a real religious man now. My dad was telling me how his brother broke down talking about throwing people out of helicopters. From what I've heard he saw some real sick shit over there and has never been the same. I think he lost a couple of his buddies but he won't talk about it and I wouldn't ever ask him.

Pretty fucked up what they put our kids through. Seventeen by eighteen killing people for "freedom." Once he saw what they did to the captured, specifically their genitals cut off and stuffed down their throats, they had no qualms about how the people they captured died either. I'd probably be religious too.

[ONUV]

Such as?

............


I’m sorry but this seems like it was not written by the soldier to me, it sounds like some left wing activist.

I see the many soldiers in our military that have lost all four limbs and carry on. I would not think about complaining about my own physical disabilities, sure it would be great to not have pain anymore, but my family needs me still. I guess his family did not need him anymore. I cannot fathom giving up, but I did not walk in his shoes, so I give him his wish if he truly did write this.


AFTER READING HALF THE LETTER I UNDERSTAND WHY THE WHITE HOUSE MEDIA WANTED IT PRINTED

He blames Bush and Chaney. No letter from a hero, an honorable person would ever be allowed to be published. It seems like a very length letter from someone about to kill themselves. Did someone help him write it. It was Obama that refused to treat this man’t illness, its Obama who torchered military families by reducing their medical care, stopping their monthly checks, stopping their absentee ballots and forcing them to eat food not fit for swine.


Good point. Probably assisted suicide by the left who wants him silenced and then use his death as propaganda. Who knows anymore.


And why is the letter so very long? Why not just write a book?


The mind of a spineless liberal is a scary thing.

I have three combat tours, and I can look in the mirror each morning, and know that I did what was right. My morality is tied to my bible, not to humanism.

I serve to defend and protect the constitution, and have done that.

I am betting had this guy never served, he would be in the same mess, serving just gave him something to blame his weakness on. I have served with similar folks.


RIP No…. Rest in hell, he is no Brother of mine.


I have to agree…the DEA and on Bush and Cheney……doesn’t sound like someone who is about to take their own life , or someone who is having problems coping… sound like a leftist activist..maybe that was who the guy was or became…very sad either way.


This was exactly my thought too. Something doesn’t smell right here.