According to some reports, 90 percent of soldiers returning from Iraq who seek medical treatment do so for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an emotional and psychological reaction to trauma in which a person experiences uncontrollable, frightening audio and visual flashbacks that can overtake him or her during ordinary situations like playing with children or washing a car. PTSD is the fourth-ranking psychiatric disorder in the United States.

An estimated 1 out of 8 soldiers who will eventually return from Iraq will suffer from PTSD – most often from having been through multiple deployments and witnessing the carnage left by suicide and roadside bombers. However the soldiers themselves are not the only victims: Family members will also be affected by their soldier’s PTSD. Particularly if their soldier avoids social situations and other activities he previously enjoyed.

Although I was never in the armed forces, I am a survivor of PTSD who can offer tips to soldiers with that problem and their families. As a woman raped at gunpoint by strangers, I often experienced flashbacks in which I heard the voice of the rapist when I was at work or washing dishes at home. There were six steps that helped me cope with PTSD, which I would like to share with you:

1. If you have never talked about your PTSD experience with anyone you should do so by finding a place in which you feel safe and a person with whom you will feel safe confiding. In that safe place with your confidant at your side, scream, cry and vent as fully as you can, holding nothing back.
2. Seek treatment as soon as possible from a specialist in PTSD such as a therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist. Only a specialist can help you effectively deal with the symptoms you may be experiencing. In addition to flashbacks, these might include nightmares, depression, insomnia and feelings of hopelessness and social isolation. The specialist may suggest medication that may be helpful. The worst mistake PTSD suffers can make is trying to go it alone. Attempting to do so may cause you to remain stuck in this nightmare for your entire life. Remember that there is nothing manly about refusing to get help. Soldiers can seek help at Walter Reed Medical Hospital or do a Google search to find a local person who specializes in the disorder.
3. Join a group therapy support group. Your specialist may refer you to such a group that puts you in contact with others who are going through the same process. By listening to their stories and sharing your own you will understand that you are not alone.
4. Look for other ways to let off steam. Exercise, paint, dance or keep a journal of your thoughts. I kept a journal for eight years and eventually turned it into a book. Even if you don’t feel like it, make yourself socialize. Go to picnics and family gatherings and try to resume old hobbies. Don’t isolate yourself.
5. Put your PTSD into perspective. Even if you take all the steps I have outlined, you may find that you continue to have some episodes of nightmares, anger, fear or depression. But as those symptoms ease, you may be ready to move on to the stage in which you accept that this horrible thing happened to you but does not define your life. You have talked it out, let it out and put it in perspective. You are ready to move on.
6. Volunteer to help others with PTSD. When you have reached the stage of acceptance and forgiveness you may feel ready to help others who are not as far along as yourself in recovering from PTSD. This is the stage I am currently in. I welcome you to join me there.

Susan Lee-Titus understands PTSD intimately. She was brutally raped at gunpoint by two men who burst into her dance studio and for years endured frequent flashbacks of that memory. Susan is an author, speaker, dancer and communications and media specialist. She is the founder of Joy Dancers, a prison outreach program that teaches aerobic dance to female inmates as an outlet for anger and stress. Her new book is “The Dancer Returns: From Victim to Victory.”

Persepolis, a graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi, was a memoir explaining life in Iran. This epic tale made the reader get a glimpse into what life was like for those in Iran at the time when the Islamic Fundamentalists were taking over control of the country. Besides giving the reader a slice of history from a person experiencing the revolution, this novel adds humor giving the audience reason to not get bored and to keep on reading.

Iran is constantly in the news. One just needs to open up a newspaper, and practically the whole page is dedicated to the happenings of Iran. Just recently, in Tehran, Iran, “Iran claimed Saturday (3/24/07) that 15 British sailors and marines had confessed to entering its waters in an act of ‘blatant aggression,’ an escalation of Tehran’s rhetoric over the confrontation” (Buffalo News). The article goes on to say that Saddam Hussein canceled a treaty that stated where the boundaries for the waters of Iran and Iraq were, five years after the treaty was in place, in 1980, making it null and void. This act by Hussein triggered the eight-year war that Iraq and Iran experienced, that is covered in Persepolis. For the British sailors, however, this pact that had become null and void years ago, was not a good sign for their safe return home.

Marjane lived in Tehran, and both her and her family experienced, first hand, the war with Iraq. During this time many of those around her, i.e. family and friends, were persecuted. It was a period of distress and tyranny that is still going on presently.

Persepolis is an incredibly well written graphic novel that let readers see what Iran was like before the present days, from an Iran citizen’s perception.

According to an Army estimate, some 20,000 or more troops in the Middle East — nearly 30 percent of the total — are taking prescription antidepressants and sleeping pills to help them “cope” with the stresses of battle. A major side effect of antidepressants — increased risk of suicide — may be why twice as many soldiers are committing suicide now than before the war. And for those who survive both the war and the drugs’ side effects, drug detox may need to be the first stop when they get home.

The FDA has had official warnings placed on antidepressant labels about the increased risk of suicide among children, adolescents, and even young adults ages 18 to 24 — the age group that forms the bulk of our Middle East fighting forces, and those most likely to be prescribed the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Prozac and Zoloft. Such antidepressant drugs frequently lead to dependence and the need for drug detox to get off them safely.

A recent Time magazine article suggests there may be a link between the increased use of antidepressants and rising troop suicides in Afghanistan and Iraq. By the end of 2007, Army suicides had reached 164, double the rate in 2001. The article says at least 115 soldiers killed themselves last year, including 36 in Iraq and Afghanistan — the highest suicide rate since it started keeping records in 1980. And nearly 40% of Army suicide victims in 2006 and 2007 were prescribed psychotropic drugs.

One Iraq veteran told Time that “you continue to get drugs constantly.” He said the medications combined with battle stress creates “unfit soldiers . . . there were more than a few convoys going out in a total daze.”

Antidepressants have created almost as many problems as they purportedly solve, and not all scientists agree with their use. For example, a British study confirmed that the new-generation SSRIs offer no clinically significant improvements, finding that they’re barely more effective than no drugs at all. Academics in Britain as well as the US are questioning whether patients with mild and moderate depression — which would include most troubled soldiers — should be prescribed such drugs at all.

Not only do antidepressants lead to dependence and the need for drug detox, they are noted for severe and dangerous side effects – they have been implicated in hundreds of suicides and violent episodes of various kinds. This has led a growing number of antidepressant users to seek medical drug detox to come off the drugs, and look for safer forms of therapy.

Meanwhile, some 20,000 troops in Afghanistan and Iraq are on prescription medications for stress, the Time article reports. The Army estimates that authorized drug use splits roughly fifty-fifty between troops taking antidepressants and those taking prescription sleeping pills like Ambien.

But even medical professionals have their doubts about the practice. Dr. Frank Ochberg of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies asks, “Are we trying to bandage up what is essentially an insufficient fighting force?” And Dr. Joseph Glenmullen at Harvard Medical School perceives a link between army suicides and antidepressant drug use. “The high percentage of U.S. soldiers attempting suicide after taking SSRIs should raise serious concerns,” he said.

For soldiers in the Middle East, an antidepressant may feel at first like a welcome relief. But just like a shot from a hidden sniper, the lethal damage from antidepressants can come at you when you least expect it, and with potentially equal results — sudden violence, rage, or suicide. But unlike sniper fire, there’s an up-side: as long as you’re still alive, a medical drug detox program can help you get off the drug safely.

I have heard stories from investors who bought a wheelbarrow load of a specific penny stock and stuffed them in several desk drawers for safe keeping. A year or two later, the price of those penny stocks had eventually gone down in price to a mere fraction of what they were purchased for. The investor would say “Oh well, I knew it was a long shot.” The stock certificates were pulled out of the desk drawer and then were used as wallpaper on the walls of the basement or garage as a reminder of how long shots do become worthless sometimes.

And a few of these kind of stories did eventually have a wonderful ending. A few years after the stock certificates became wallpaper, the investor one day happened to notice the current price of his wallpaper stocks in the newspaper. And to his surprise, the price had somehow matured to ten times what he paid for them. Sometimes, the best advice for long shot speculation investments is to consider if this speculation is going to be a long shot, then it should at least have astronomical potential for its high risk. Secondly buy a small amount of the speculative investment and stuff it in a drawer a forget about it for awhile. That way you have only invested a small amount of money and if it never amounts to anything, you’ve only lost a small amount of money. No Big Deal.

In the case of the New Iraqi Dinar speculation, you may want to invest a hundred dollars. Right now, you can buy about 100,000 New Iraqi Dinars for $100. Throw them in a drawer and forget about them for awhile. At one time, the Iraqi Dinars were worth over three dollars per dinar. Since then, the country of Iraq has gone through wars and regime changes. Even today, Iraq is still a mess but the war appears to be over and the economy is slowly getting back on its feet. Several large oil companies are lining up to get contracts with Iraq to get in on their tremendous oil reserves which have barely been tapped. This speculation appears to worth a $100 investment or more.

If the the dinar just gains a little value and becomes worth just a penny per dinar, your $100 dollar investment will be worth a thousand dollars. If the dinar becomes worth just ten cents per dinar, your $100 investment will be worth $10,000 dollars. And if the dinar ever gets back to being worth $3 per dinar, your $100 investment will be worth $300,000.00. Imagine a few years from now when the New Iraqi Dinars are worth a lot more then they are worth today. You will have a lot of dinars to trade for a big profit. This dinar trade is ready to go so don’t miss out on it.

There are several places where you can easily purchase your dinars. Just do a search for “New Iraqi Dinars” on either Google or eBay. The Iraqi Dinars is the the currency of Iraq. You don’t want to purchase the old currency which has Saddam Hussein’s picture on the currency. This is a speculative investment with a lot of risk but with potential rewards that may outweigh the risk substantially. This investment is by no means a sure thing, so don’t bet the farm on it, just a $100 should be enough to make a nice return should the Iraqi economy get back on its feet.

Buried Alive – The True Story of Kidnapping, Captivity, and a Dramatic Rescue by Roy Hallums is the compelling story of a man’s will to survive. It’s a white knuckle ride as you follow the author’s unrelenting physical and psychological torment at the hands of Iraqi insurgents. Roy Hallums book provides a behind-the-scenes look at what it means to be kidnapped in Iraq and forced to suffer imprisonment and beatings.

It was November 2004 and contractor, Roy Hallums was working late at his office in Iraq at the Saudi Arabian Trading and Construction Company. The office was supposedly well-protected by armed security guards but four kidnappers broke in and hauled him and a co-worker away at gunpoint. For three hundred and eleven days, the men were held hostage and moved frequently. Eventually they were taken to a farmhouse and thrown into a concrete pit under the floor with only a pipe in the ceiling to provide oxygen. They were forced to wear masks and endured hunger, heat and cold. The confinement is described in chilling detail including beatings and psychological torture. His family dealt with the nightmare back home and they never gave up on him. When his location was finally verified, he was successfully rescued by the US Military.

Roy Hallums story is captivating. I was hooked on page one and could not put it down. He will amaze you with his perseverance, hope and survival skills. The first person narrative is very well written. The fast pace keeps the pages turning. It’s a gripping tale that will give you insight to events in the Middle East. I highly recommend it.

Disclaimer: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program. The opinions are my own.

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

ISBN: 978-1595551702

Hardcover: 256 Pages

Price: $25.99

Snipers, road side bombers and grenade launchers are not things you usually associate with your average minicab ride but for contractors in Iraq these are real threats, which is why it is on our list of the most expensive minicab rides in the world.

Construction work in Iraq has become big business with Westerners being paid large sums to travel over to Iraq to help re-build its cities and towns. However with all the turmoil in this wore torn country it is not simply a case of jumping on a plane and starting work, you need serious close protection to make it safely to your destination. For almost £ 3,000 you receive an armored convoy with former military personnel armed with MP5 submachine guns, M16 rifles and AK47 assault rifles. The convoy normally contains a transportation vehicle accompanied by 1 or ideally 2 chase cars which are present to attack any assailants.

There are specialized kidnapping gangs which sell victims to terrorists for £ 150,000; Obviously this is a very attractive proposition to many, which is why the cab fare is so expensive. For a 10 mile trip from the airport the fare equals £ 300 per mile, easily making it one of the most expensive cab rides in the world.

Celebrity Cab Fares

What would you pay to get home if you were stranded? Its hard to put a figure on something like this unless you are physically put in that situation; However it seems we know how much Monty Python actor John Cleese would pay. He recently spent $ 5,000 for a single minicab ride from Oslo, Norway to Brussels, Belgium. Mr Cleese who was being interviewed by Norway TV2 became stranded by the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud, with no other alternative but to take a minicab he paid the fare and took the 930 mile trip to Brussels. The minicab came with two extra drivers for the long journey.

The Latest London Minicabs

Cab fares could become rather expensive with the unveiling of new hydrogen powered black cabs. They deliver zero emissions making them very eco-friendly and have a range of 250 miles with a top speed of around 70 MPH. They also only take 5 minutes to refuel. It is not known how expensive they will be but other prototypes in Japan have been priced at around $ 300,000. There are 20,000 London minicabs so reducing the carbon footprint of cabs is a very important issue. It is hoped that by 2012 there will be a fleet of 20 hydrogen powered taxis with more to follow.

Other Expensive Minicabs

Other expensive minicabs include Rolls Royce Phantoms in London which can be hired for a day for a cool £ 1,200 pounds, if you want to catch some of the sites in style. Interestingly enough London does not have the most expensive cabs in the world, Moscow does. In terms of extravagance Moscow has to take the top spot. It is not uncommon to spot £ 300,000 Maybach minicabs riding around as well as Porsches and Rolls Royce Phantoms. So next time you are in Moscow make sure you take a look what make of car it is before you jump in as it could seriously dent your wallet.

Ramadan, the Muslim Holy Month, the month their Prophet Muhammad received the revelations creating Islam. That sounds like a very sacred and spiritual time. So what is up with all the violence around the world from the self-professed religion of peace? It defies the imagination.

In American jurisprudence, there is a standard applied known as the common man standard. What would the common man have done under like or similar circumstances? It seems a reasonable question to ask. All you common men or women out there think about the following headlines from around the world of Islam.

1. Ramadan in Afghanistan: Jihadis dressed as US soldiers try to shoot their way into Afghan Interior Ministry.

2. Ramadan in Iraq: Islamic State jihadis murder family of 12 in northern Iraq.

3. Ramadan in Libya: Muslims attack security checkpoint, killing a woman who was passing through with her family.

4. Ramadan in Scotland: Muslims threaten to murder a fellow Muslim for saying Ramadan fast isn’t required.

5. Ramadan in the UK: Muslims run over teen rugby star, hit him with a golf club, give him a fractured skull and brain bleeding.

6. Ramadan in Germany: Muslims kick, punch Jews, say “If I see you again, I’ll slit your throat, you [expletive] Jew.”

7. Ramadan in Indonesia: Family of Muslim suicide bombers, including two children, carry out attacks on three churches, killing at least seven church members and all six of the family bombers.

8. Ramadan Somalia: A Somali woman is stoned to death for having multiple husbands.

9. Ramadan Netherlands: Muslim screaming “Allahu akbar” stabs at least three people.

10. Ramadan in France: Muslim punches, tries to strangle 26-year-old daughter’s boyfriend because he is not Muslim.

The scenes above are repeated over and over around the world. Year after year the world of Islam is afire with violence during their Holiest time of the year. Would common men do that? We don’t see Christians murdering other Christians or non-Christians during Easter. We don’t see Buddhists rising up to harm anyone at any time. What’s up?

Could it be that the ideology of Islam is one steeped in the doctrine of violence? Could it be that ‘peace’ in Islam is only achieved when all the world follows Muhammad? Could it be that Allah is nothing like the God of the worlds other religions? Could it be that ‘taqijjah’ is indeed a principle in Islam? Apply the ‘common man’ standard, and you decide if we’re being deceived.

Mona’s parents had fled Iraq during the time when Saddam’s reign had poisoned citizens and killed them. She grew up in America and took pride in giving the best service to the babies in her pediatric career. She taught the interns in her residency program to learn about the community they serve in. Walking into this crisis in 2011 brought back images of all those who suffered in Iraq.

Once questions surfaced as to the water crisis and possible coverup in Flint, Michigan, she decided to fight for the health of all its children. She began by testing for lead blood levels in patients. She and the three others who began researching the topic faced pushback from local state officials denying any problems existed.

After an eight month ordeal, she finally got them to admit the legitimacy of her concerns. Her proposal for action included declaring a state of emergency, providing water filters, bottled water and pre-mixed formula. Lead was found in drinking water at three schools.

The problem began when the water supply was switched from Lake Huron to the Flint River in an effort to save money. The Flint River had been a toxic dumping ground for years.

After the crisis was exposed, some officials lost jobs, some had criminal charges filed against them and those who remained in office at least had the nation’s eyes watching them.

Dr. Mona and partners created FlintKids.org to provide an array of services to help the children of Flint heal and have hope for a future. They also partner with the Imagination Library program to bring books to children to promote early childhood literacy.

By fighting for the residents of Flint, Mona not only saved them from harm, she gave her family something they could take pride in. Their plight for freedom in a free country had not been in vain. She may not have been able to prevent what happened in Iraq but in America she was able to make her voice heard to make change happen.

Having the courage to speak up came at a price. When we read about inspiring stories, we don’t know the sacrifices made behind the scenes. We just admire the outcome. Heroes are usually ordinary people who did what they knew to be the right thing to do.

I’m sure to the kids of Flint, Michigan, Mona is their hero. Now they have been given a voice.

The Guardian (UK) reported in its May 22, 2007 edition that Iran is working to establish ties with al-Qaeda elements and Sunni insurgents in order to launch a major summer offensive against coalition forces in Iraq. The intent of such an operation, if the factional elements could pull it off, would be to undermine the President's security plan for Baghdad and al-Anbar Province, the so-called "surge," just as General David Petraeus was scheduled to return to Washington to brief the Congress on military and political progress in Iraq.

Let's suppose for a moment that the Iranians, Sunnis and al-Qaeda terrorists were able to come together in an organized assault against their common enemy, the United States, to launch the Iraqi version of the infamous Vietnam Tet Offensive. Just imagine the severity of the consequences, even if the offensive was only moderately successful. I suspect the sentiment in America would be much the same as it was in early 1968.

In January of that year, as American military forces in Vietnam expected a relative lull in fighting during the Tet holiday, North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops launched simultaneously and coordinated attacks throughout the country. The American public was shocked as images of enemy forces inside the American Embassy compound in Saigon flashed across television screens throughout the country and the war, in all its brutality and savageness, was brought home to the viewing public as it had never been before. President Johnson withdrew from the race for the White House and the effort to "Vietnamize" the war gained considerable momentum.

On the battlefield, our enemies in Vietnam had suffered crushing losses as the Tet Offensive was systematically put down and attacking elements were forced to abandon their assaults without achieving significant tactical success. But in the eyes of the American press and public, and in the eyes of many Congressmen, it was the United States that had been handed a humiliating defeat. What was ultimately a military failure for the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong was in fact a crucial turning point in the war for public opinion. The press was crucial in shaping public perceptions about the war then, as it is with regard to the war in Iraq now.

The unfortunate truth today is that the public, the press, and a sizeable portion of our legislative branch lack a true understanding of existing military and strategic realities, both in Iraq and throughout the Middle East.

Militarily, on the battlefields of Iraq, coalition forces have conducted themselves with dignity and honor, and their performance has been nothing short of magnificent. When they engage enemy forces they defeat them with deadly precision, all the while making every effort to protect innocent civilians and avoid unnecessary damage. The enemy we face shows no such restraint, nor battlefield honor, and any coordinated offensive against coalition forces would be nothing more than a desperate act to turn the tide of public perception, once and for all, against a continued US presence, no matter what the consequences might be for Iraq or its citizens. That desperate act would be short-lived and futile, ending much as the Tet offensive did in Vietnam: a military failure.

But having failed militarily, an Iraqi Tet offensive that featured spectacular attacks in Baghdad and Anbar Province, and the inevitable coalition and civilian deaths that would accompany such attacks, would finally push a wavering American public over the edge as scenes of violence and chaos filled news programs on the major network and cable channels. And as the public goes, so goes the Congress. The outrage from the populace would probably force the House and Senate to bow to the electorate, granting the Iranians, the terrorists, and the Sunni insurgents the battlefield victory they otherwise could not achieve.

At the strategic level, there is either a lack of comprehension of the consequences of our defeat or a willingness to suffer those consequences in order to bring our troops home as fast as possible. Either is unacceptable for the national security of the United States. Make no mistake about it; an abrupt American departure from Iraq will be catastrophic for the region and for the world.

Iranian influence throughout the Middle East will be extended and enhanced, and the clerical regime in Tehran will feel even more empowered to pursue its nuclear work in defiance of the world community. Additionally, Iran will be able to continue its meddling in Iraqi affairs, without interference from the US, and Syria and Hezbollah will continue to be used as pawns in proxy wars with Israel that devastate Lebanon and destabilize the region.

Terrorists across the globe will be emboldened, and the ideological movement of radical Islamists will exploit success in Iraq by attempting to take the fight to regional secular governments that will be forced to fight for their survival. Iraq will become a failed state in an already troubled region, sparking a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions that will cross the borders of borders states like Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Kuwait. The possibility of a regional war cannot be discounted either, as Sunni governments already fearful of Iran and rising Shiite power will feel compelled to intervene in Iraq to prevent the wholesale slaughter of their sectarian brethren. The Kurds, too, may seize the opportunity to take advantage of the chaos and declare their independence. Such a move would invite military intervention in northern Iraq by Turkey, Iran, and probably Syria.

Each of these likely consequences has the potential to become the reality on the ground very quickly if American and coalition forces leave before establishing a security climate conducive to the diplomatic progress necessary for Iraq to move forward. The President's security strategy may or may not work. It's still too early to tell as "surgeon" forces continue to arrive and the full strategy is just beginning to take form.

But an Iraqi Tet Offensive could force premature departure by simply creating the perception that the "surge" has failed and that the cause is lost. The television images of multiple insurgent attacks throughout the country would likely force the end of the American-led mission in Iraq. The question then will become one of when, not if, the war will follow us home.

Interested by the premise of the book “The Prosecution of George Bush for Murder” given the prolific nature of the author (Bugliosi being the prosecutor of Charles Manson), I decided to read and review it. The book is broken down into two main sections, the first being the rational for why we should prosecute Bush, and the second being the logistics and legal framework of an actual prosecution of Bush. While the book essentially lays out the rational that Bush should be held accountable for his actions, and that it is legally feasible for him to be prosecuted by any district attorney in any county where a soldier has been killed while serving in the Iraq War, the book bases itself on the conviction that Bush knowingly misled the American people and Congress into a war.

The author spends the first hundred pages of the book, with what amounts to little more than personal attacks upon the Bush Administration and desperate emotional pleas such as, “can you imagine if it was your son who was killed in Iraq and came home ‘unviewable’ in a box? Yes, your son Scott, or Paul, or Michael, or Ronnie, Todd, Peter, Marty Sean, or Bobby” (Bugliosi, 31). It is exceedingly ironic that an author who is writing a book for the express purpose of exposing what he believes to be a deception of the American people based on emotion and fear inspiring remarks about the possibility of an attack by Iraq on American soil, would use the same emotional/fear based remarks time and time again to try to sway people into thinking with their heart rather than their brain.

If we can for a moment pass over the first half of the book, and focus on the second half (the part that is actually interesting and novel) I found Bugliosi in his prime. In reading I focused much more on the case against Bush rather than the very detailed legal framework and basis for such a case. Bugliosi portrays a startling prosecution of George Bush, that I felt I needed to cross reference (given the at times less than objective nature of the author’s writing). One of the most interesting points that Bugliosi makes in presenting evidence that George Bush purposely misled the nation into war, comes in his analysis of the previously top secret National Intelligence Community’s report entitled “Iraq’s Continuing Programs for Weapons of Mass Destruction” (better known as the National Intelligence Estimate) and what has become know as the White Paper (the “abridged” version of this document which was released to Congress and the general public in the weeks preceding the decision to go to war). The author also spends a considerable amount of time comparing private statements of Bush to public statements to the American people in the build up of war, that draw into serious question, the validity of the administrations approach to the war in Iraq.

While George Bush will probably never end up in an American courtroom being prosecuted for murder, Vincent Bugliosi’s book does do an exceptional job of building a case, based on original documents, for the conviction that the Bush Administration intentionally misled the American people into the war in Iraq.