Reflection on Sending US Troops to Iraq

Reflection on Sending US Troops to Iraq Why The U.S. Should Leave Iraq. We have been in Iraq since President George Bush launched the invasion on Iraq in March 2003. Since then the war the U.S. has spent about seven hundred million dollars. While we still are in fighting to try to rebuild Iraq when we should be trying to save the U.S. from the down fall of our own economy since March of last year. From the National Priorities Project website I found this chart that shows the cost by year the money we are spending on the war in Iraq as well as Afghanistan. Another reason why staying in Iraq is just a bad idea, as John Weiss states, â€Å"We face a paradox in Iraq: the longer we stay, the stronger our enemies become. We cannot defeat either the insurgency or the civil war resulting from our invasion and occupation; in fact, both have grown stronger. Nor can we protect the Iraqis we came to save. A corrupt Iraqi government wastes the billions we have allocated for rebuilding, while the middle class flees to avoid the danger. The Pentagon trains Iraqis to fight, but we may well be training the army of our future enemies.†(Weiss) The longer we are there the more the people there will learn how to hurt the U.S. learn the ways to operate our own military forces. The longer we leave our troops the longer the people of Iraq have time to see what we do in the middle of war. The longer we stay the longer our nation stays unprotected, think about it we have all these troops across seas fighting when and if there is another terrorist attack we in a way have our shields down. It will take longer for us to get prepared or try to reassemble what just happened. Also I ask the question why are we sending more troops? Costing the nation more money, endangering the lives of more Americans? If we are doing what needs to be done and we are doing our job why send more? If they are fighting back harder than we are wasting our time trying to save a lost cause. Hurting our own nation to support a country just so oil prices will drop seems to be a little much some would say. Like Cenk Uygur says. â€Å"If were doing well, its because of the extra troops so we shouldnt pull them out. If were doing poorly, obviously we need more troops. Either way, we need more troops and need to stay in Iraq longer. This supposition is obvious nonsense, yet were taking it seriously.†( Uygur) On the other hand I guess you could say a reason why we should stay in Iraq is, by leaving our troops in Iraq and leave a few there set up a base to watch over operations of what is going on. In one article Marcus Fryman puts it, â€Å"You see, some people are just incapable of thinking long term. In the grand scheme of things, its better to keep US troops in Iraq just so theyll be ready to enter into combat operations in Iran. I mean, doesnt it seem pointless bringing them all the way back home only to deploy them back onto the streets of Tehran a month later?†(Fryman) Plus it could have the opportunity to set up more jobs in the future. Have you ever heard of the term PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder)? It is defined as a severe anxiety disorder can develop after exposure to any event which results in psychological trauma. This event may involve the threat of death to oneself or to someone else, or to ones own or someone elses physical, sexual, or psychological integrity, overwhelming the individuals psychological defenses. Symptoms include re-experiencing original trauma, by means of flashbacks or nightmares; avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma; and increased arousal, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep, anger. Formal diagnostic criteria require that the symptoms last more than one month and cause significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning, meaning trying to fit back into society or trying to get back to work after experience PTSD. In a test given to 2525 soldiers returning from a year-long tour in Iraq, 124 (4.9%) reported injuries with loss of co nsciousness, 260 (10.3%) reported injuries with altered mental status, and 435 (17.2%) reported other injuries during deployment. Of those reporting loss of consciousness, 43.9% met criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as compared with 27.3% of those reporting altered mental status, 16.2% with other injuries, and 9.1% with no injury. Soldiers with mild traumatic brain injury, primarily those who had loss of consciousness, were significantly more likely to report poor general health, missed workdays, medical visits, and a high number of somatic and post concussive symptoms than were soldiers with other injuries. However, after adjustment for PTSD and depression, mild traumatic brain injury was no longer significantly associated with these physical health outcomes or symptoms, except for headache. I found a story about a soldier call him Mr. K, a 38-year-old National Guard soldier, was assessed in an outpatient psychiatric clinic several months after he returned home fr om a 12-month deployment to the Sunni Triangle in Iraq, where he had his first exposure to combat in his 10 years of National Guard duty. Before deployment, he worked successfully as an automobile salesman, was a happily married father with children ages 10 and 12 years, and was socially outgoing with a large circle of friends and active in civic and church activities. While in Iraq, he had extensive combat exposure. His platoon was heavily shelled and was ambushed on many occasions, often resulting in death or injury to his buddies. He was a passenger on patrols and convoys in which roadside bombs destroyed vehicles and wounded or killed people with whom he had become close. He was aware that he had killed a number of enemy combatants, and he feared that he may also have been responsible for the deaths of civilian bystanders. He blamed himself for being unable to prevent the death of his best friend, who was shot by a sniper. When asked about the worst moment during his deployment, he readily stated that it occurred when he was unable to intercede, but only to watch helplessly, while a small group of Iraqi women and children were killed in the crossfire during a particularly bloody assault. Since returning home, he has been anxious, irritable, and on edge most of the time. He has become preoccupied with concerns about the personal safety of his family, keeping a loaded 9-mm pistol with him at all times and under his pillow at night. Sleep has been difficult, and when sleep occurs, it has often been interrupted by vivid nightmares during which he thrashes about, kicks his wife, or jumps out of bed to turn on the lights. His children complained that he has become so overprotective that he will not let them out of his sight. His wife reported that he has been emotionally distant since his return. She also believed that driving the car had become dangerous when he is a passenger because he has sometimes reached over suddenly to grab the steering wheel because he thinks he has seen a roadside bomb. His friends have wearied of inviting him to social gatherings because he has consistently turned down all invitations to get together. His employer, who has patiently supported him, has reported that his work has suffered dramatically, that he seems preoccupied with his own thoughts and irritable with customers, that he often makes mistakes, and that he has not functioned effectively at the automobile dealership where he was previously a top salesman. Mr. K acknowledged that he has changed since his deployment. He reported that he sometimes experiences strong surges of fear, panic, guilt, and despair and that at other times he has felt emotionally dead, unable to return the love and warmth of family and friends. Life has become a terrible burden. Although he has not been actively suicidal, he reported that he sometimes thinks everyone would be better off if he had not survived his tour in Iraq. Do we want more troops coming back with things like t his happening when they do not even what our help anymore? Is it worth it? I find myself asking the same question. With everything going on here in the United States I do not think we have the money and are running out of the resources to keep fighting a battle that just may be already lost. By pulling out bring most of our troops home back their families, saves lives, and makes a stronger nation. We can keep some troops there you know a small base let our presents be known. I think we need to keep an eye on them, but this fighting for lost cause just needs to end. Sources. Weiss, John. Why We Should Leave Iraq Now. History News Network. 10-9-06 . Uygur, Cenk. Three Reasons Why We Should Leave Iraq. Mo Rocca 180. 4-10-2008 . Cost of War. National Priorities Project . 2008 . Fryman, Marcus. 10 Reasons Why US Troops Should Stay in Iraq. Marcus Frymans 10 reasons why. 2-27-2009 . Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in U.S. Soldiers Returning from Iraq. The New England Journal of Medicine. January 31, 2008 . Friedman, Matthew. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Military Returnees From Afghanistan and Iraq. Treatment in Psychiatry. 4, April 2006 .

Nursing: Academic Degree and Emergency Room Nurse Essay

Did you know that the Civil War had an effect on nursing jobs for women? According to Karen J. Egenes, the volunteer nurses of the Civil War â€Å"changed the public’s perception of work by women outside of their homes. † There are numerous nursing jobs available to this day. Nursing jobs are always in high demand. Although some people go into this career field, not for the passion of it, but for the income, this is not a career for everyone. One type of nursing job that is important is an emergency room nurse. Emergency room nurses play an important role in the nursing industry because there can never be enough nurses in the ER. Emergency room nurses are growing in high demand. Within the next 10 years, the ER nursing industry will increase with twenty-six percent. One reason they are in high demand, is because it is becoming harder and harder to get in to see a regular doctor. Instead, you could go to the emergency room and get immediate attention. Being an emergency room nurse there are many tasks. Although you may not be doing the same thing daily, you will always be busy. Some of those tasks include, provide care for the patients coming in, monitor health conditions, administer medicine, and advising the patients and their families. To become an emergency room nurse you must have an associate’s degree in nursing, a bachelors of science in nursing, or have graduated from an approved nursing program. There are many transferable skills needed in this job. One of the main skills needed is critical thinking, because you always deal with something new, and have to think on the spot. Some other skills are compassion, being able to pay attention to detail, organization, being calm and patient, and being a good communicator. The median hourly income according to Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median hourly income in Iowa is $31. 10, and the yearly income is $64,690. Although some people go for jobs because of the income, becoming an emergency room nurse is not for everyone, and you would need to be compassionate for it. Although all nursing jobs you have to have a passion for, being a Hospice nurse takes a lot of courage. According to Asera Care, the hospice team provides medical, emotional, practical, and spiritual support to people with terminal illness, and their families. The hospice nurse provides many things for the patient and the family. As a hospice nurse, some tasks you would do are providing nursing assessments, plan and care for the patient’s comfort, and you would be with the family until the patients’ last day. Some of the transferable skills needed to go into the hospice field is being structured, independent, strong, self-directed, and caring. To become a hospice nurse, you must obtain an associate’s degree in nursing, bachelors in science of nursing, or a nursing degree. Along with having a degree of nursing, you must also have one years’ worth of nursing experience. The average salary for a hospice nurse is between thirty-one thousand, and forty-one thousand. Being a hospice nurse may be a hard job, dealing with the end of people’s lives, but in the end it is rewarding knowing that you made it better for them. A third nursing job that is available, and is in demand is a pediatric nurse. To be a pediatric nurse, you must be able to work well with kids, and young adults. You would be dealing with patients from infancy to young adulthood. Some of the daily tasks you would be doing according to Discover Nursing, are conducting checkups, giving immunizations, counseling patients and families, and helping or teaching the families of diseases or sicknesses. Although many of the nursing jobs available, you must have the same type of transferable skills, some of the skills you need to become a pediatric nurse are being structured, multifaceted, and strong. To become a pediatric nurse, you need an associate’s degree in nursing, a bachelors of science in nursing, and a pediatric nurse certification. Some of the classes that can help you pursue your dream of becoming a pediatric nurse are any type of children’s class, and children’s psychology classes. The average salary for a pediatric nurse is anywhere between $31,007 and $81,951. If you are not able to deal with little kids, and or things you have to handle with kids, being a pediatric nurse is not the career field for you. Nursing is an astounding career field to go into, that is, if it is a passionate field for you. There are many choices for the nursing field, such as an ER nurse, hospice nurse, or pediatric nurse. There are different positives and negatives in each career field. In the nursing field, I feel as if there are more positives than negatives. You’re changing somebodies life, for the better. Works Cited Asera Care. Asera Care, n. d. Web. 29 Jan. 2014. . The Campaign for Nursing’s Future. Johnson & Johnson, 10 Jan. 2014. Web. 30 Jan. 2014. . Egenes, Karen J. â€Å"History of Nursing. † History of Nursing: 6. Print. Snag a Job. N. p. , 2000. Web. 29 Jan. 2014. .

Tiger Facts

Tigers (Panthera tigris) are the largest and most powerful of all cats. They are extremely agile despite their large size. Tigers are capable of leaping 26 to 32 feet in a single bound. They are also among the most recognizable of cats due to their distinct orange coat, black stripes, and white markings.   Tigers are native to South and Southeast Asia, China and the Russian Far East, though their habitat and numbers have dwindled rapidly. Fast Facts: Tiger Scientific Name: Panthera tigrisCommon Name: TigerBasic Animal Group:  MammalSize: 3–3.5 feet tall at shoulders, 4.6–9.2 feet long including head and body, 2–3 feet tail lengthWeight: 220–675 pounds depending on sub-species and genderLifespan: 10–15 yearsDiet:  CarnivoreHabitat:  South and Southeast Asia, China and the Russian Far East.Population:  3,000–4,500  Conservation  Status:  Endangered Description Tigers vary in color, size, and markings according to their subspecies. Bengal tigers, which inhabit the forests of India, have the quintessential tiger appearance, with a dark orange coat, black stripes, and a white underbelly. Siberian tigers, the largest of all the tiger subspecies, are lighter in color and have a thicker coat that enables them to brave the harsh, cold temperatures of the Russian taiga. Gannet77/Getty Images Habitat and Distribution Tigers historically occupied a range that stretched from the eastern part of Turkey to the Tibetan plateau, Manchuria and the Sea of Okhotsk. Today, tigers occupy only about seven percent of their former range. More than half of the remaining wild tigers live in the forests of India. Smaller populations remain in China, Russia, and parts of Southeast Asia. Tigers inhabit a wide range of habitats such as lowland evergreen forests, taiga, grasslands, tropical forests, and mangrove swamps. They generally require habitat with covers such as forests or grasslands, water resources, and enough territory to support their prey. Diet Tigers are carnivores. They are nocturnal hunters that feed on large prey such as deer, cattle, wild pigs, rhinoceroses, and elephants. They also supplement their diet with smaller prey such as birds, monkeys, fish, and reptiles. Tigers also feed on carrion. Behavior Tigers are solitary, territorial cats. They occupy a home range that is generally between 200 and 1000 square kilometers. Females occupying smaller home ranges than males. Tigers often create several dens within their territory. They are not water-fearing cats; in fact, they are adept swimmers capable of crossing moderately sized rivers. As a result, water rarely poses a barrier to them. Tigers are among only four species of great cats that are capable of roaring. Reproduction and Offspring Tigers reproduce sexually. Although they are known to mate year-round, breeding usually peaks between November and April. Their gestation period is 16 weeks. A litter usually consists of between three to four cubs which are raised alone by the mother; the father plays no role in the upbringing. Tiger cubs generally leave their den with their mother at about 8 weeks old and are independent at 18 months. They stay with their mothers, however, for over two years. 4FR/Getty Images Conservation Status Tigers are listed as an endangered species. Fewer than 3,200 tigers remain in the wild. More than half of those tigers live in the forests of India. The primary threats facing tigers include poaching, habitat loss, dwindling prey populations. Although protected areas have been established for tigers, illegal killings still take place mainly for their skins and use in traditional Chinese medical practices. Although most of their historical range has been destroyed, research suggests tigers living in the Indian sub-continent are still genetically strong. This indicates that, with appropriate conservation and protection in place, tigers do have the capacity to rebound as a species. In India, it is illegal to shoot tigers or trade in their skins or other body parts. Subspecies There are five subspecies of tigers alive today and every one of these subspecies is classified as endangered. The five subspecies of tigers include Siberian tigers, Bengal tigers, Indochinese tigers, South China tigers, and Sumatran tigers. There are also three additional subspecies of tigers that have gone extinct during the past sixty years. The extinct subspecies include Caspian tigers, Javan tigers,  and Bali tigers. Tigers and Humans Human beings have been fascinated by tigers for millennia. Tiger images first appeared as a cultural symbol nearly 5,000 years ago in the area now known as Pakistan. Tigers were part of the games in the Roman Colosseum.While tigers can and will attack a human being if they are threatened or unable to find food elsewhere, tiger attacks are relatively rare. Most man-eating tigers are older or incapacitated, and thus unable to chase down or overpower larger prey. Evolution Modern cats first appeared about 10.8 million years ago. The ancestors of tigers, along with those of jaguars, leopards, lions, snow leopards, and clouded leopards, split off from the other ancestral cat lineages early in the evolution of the cat family and today form what is known as the Panthera lineage. Tigers shared a common ancestor with snow leopards that lived about 840,000 years ago. Sources â€Å"Basic Facts About Tigers.†Ã‚  Defenders of Wildlife, 10 Jan. 2019, defenders.org/tiger/basic-facts.â€Å"Tiger Facts.†Ã‚  National Geographic, 2 Aug. 2015, www.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/tiger-facts.aspx.â€Å"Where Do Tigers Live? And Other Tiger Facts.†Ã‚  WWF, World Wildlife Fund.

Macbeth Seminar Prep - 654 Words

Macbeth Seminar Prep 1. Macbeth’s tragic flaws and formation of catharsis are justifications of why Macbeth is a tragic hero in Shakespeares play Macbeth, instead of being a monster. The primary flaw Macbeth has as a character consists of him overtrusting people’s judgement, including the witches. The witches predict that Macbeth will become king and he believes that he will get the throne: â€Å" ‘This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness; that thou might’st not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee’ †. (I.v.10) Due to Macbeth’s tendency to be overtrusting towards the witches he is very naive to know how unreliable the witches are with regard to the future. Macbeth is also very gullible, because he doesn’t think of the results of his actions and he desperately wants to believe in what he hears. A second justification for him being a tragic hero is his cr eation of catharsis. He puts all of his effort into getting power just to have it taken away from him because the witches were clever with the meanings of their prophecies: â€Å"Accursed be that tongue that tells me so, / For it hath cow’d my better part of man! / And be these juggling fiends no more believed, / That palter with us in a double sense; / That keep the word of promise to our ear† (V.viii.21) Macbeth is pitied when he realizes that his trust in the witches was a foolish decision. By putting his trust in the witches, he lost everything he