PTSD*

Take it from me, it's a bitch to get a handle on.

[. . .]

I don't think it took any genius to have forseen the Mess that would cover Mesopotamia in darkness once Beloved Leader launched his reelection adventure across the Iraqi border. A short reading of Iraqi history would have revealed a lot about the fate of other "foreigners" who sought to control Iraq. The pundits who cried "You don't have to have served to be an expert!" are still sitting comfortably on the sidelines as the LT Goodrum's come back to face their silent ordeals at the sound of any loud noise, smell or other trigger that transports them back to that awful place. [my emphasis]

[. . .]

Bush's grandiose schemes of Empire are the only reason these poor kids will have to endure this for the rest of their lives. Go read DemVet's entire post.

*Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder