Coming Home from the Iraq War
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With American combat in Iraq now over, soldiers are coming home in unprecedented numbers. We look at what can happen after the happy returns. Also, Afghan President Karzai criticizes troop the withdrawal time-line. On Reporter's Notebook, why didn't the crew on the Deepwater Horizon realize something was going wrong in time to prevent an explosion that killed 11 men and released oil into the Gulf of Mexico for 86 days.
Banner image: Suffering from PTSD Robert Wake sits in his house August 10, 2009 in Malden, Missouri. Wake served in the Military Police in Iraq and saw brutal conditions during battles there, and eventually was seriously wounded by a mortar shell in Najaf.
Making News
Karzai Criticizes Troop Withdrawal Timeline ()
In Kabul today, Afghan President Hamid Karzai met with a congressional delegation and then released a statement saying that President Obama's July deadline to start withdrawing troops has "given courage to the enemies of Afghanistan." Joshua Partlow is in Kabul for the Washington Post.
Guests:
- Joshua Partlow: Kabul-based Correspondent, Washington Post
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Main Topic
The Joys and Sorrows of Coming Home ()
America's combat role in Iraq has ended, and tens of thousands of returning troops are repopulating military bases and nearby towns all over the country. But history shows that many joyous welcomes are bound to go sour with marital problems, crime and suicide likely to increase in the months to come. Are the military services and the Veterans' Administration ready to help so many people recover from wounds and shake off the mental burdens of combat? Will civilians recognize their sacrifice? Will ongoing controversy over the war itself tarnish the rewards of coming home?
Guests:
- James Dao: National Correspondent, New York Times
- Charles Engel: Director, Deployment Health Clinical Center
- Willy Berry: Veteran, US Army Reserves
- John Schluep: Founder, Warriors Journey Home Ministry
- Thomas Childers: Professor of History, University of Pennsylvania
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Reporter's Notebook
Oil Spill Hearings Reveal Chaos on Doomed Rig's Last Day ()
The Deepwater Horizon explosion has been studied by investigators and experts as much or more than any maritime disaster in history. But the key question remains: why didn't the crew recognize the warning signs when there was still time to prevent a catastrophe. After reviewing internal corporate documents and hours of public testimony and interviewing dozens of witnesses, the Wall Street Journal has emerged with "a startling picture" Deepwater Horizon's last day. Ben Casselman is part of the reporting team.
Guests:
- Ben Casselman: Reporter, Wall Street Journal, @bencasselman
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