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Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

PTSD: Taking it too damn far

I have a lot of sympathy for people carrying around PTSD. It sucks. But now I see where a former spokesman for the British ministry of defense says he has post-traumatic stress disorder from telling so many lies about the Iraq war. Really? If that were really the case, I’d expect to see the sidewalks ...

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FORT RILEY, KS - AUGUST 13: A 1st Infantry Division soldier watches a brigade prepare for another tour of duty in Iraq August 13, 2009 at Fort Riley, Kansas. The Army now requires all soldiers take suicide awareness classes as longer and more frequent deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years have taken a toll, with 96 reported Army suicides so far through July 31 of this year. Thousands of soldiers have returned from deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other mental difficulties. (Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images)

I have a lot of sympathy for people carrying around PTSD. It sucks.

But now I see where a former spokesman for the British ministry of defense says he has post-traumatic stress disorder from telling so many lies about the Iraq war. Really? If that were really the case, I’d expect to see the sidewalks of Washington crowded with former Bushies gone barking mad.

Hey, look out the window …  

Chris Hondros/Getty Images

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1
Tags: Britain, George W. Bush, Health, Military

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