Newsgroup: it.politica.internazionale
Titolo: UK:One in five soldiers 'mentally distressed'

One in five soldiers 'mentally distressed' 
By Rebecca Smith and Thomas Harding
 
Frontline: Reports about our troops at home and at war
Soldiers are suffering post-traumatic stress and turning to alcohol
because the Armed Forces are so overstretched, doctors warned yesterday.
Researchers at King's College London found a quarter of troops deployed
for more than 13 months in the past three years, in breach of guidelines,
had severe drink problems and a fifth suffered psychological distress.
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Those on duty for longer than they expected were twice as likely to suffer
symptoms than those who came home on time, the study of 5,547 regular
personnel found.
Defence chiefs have admitted that "harmony" guidelines, particularly in
the infantry, artillery and cavalry, are constantly breached as the Forces
try to cover commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Regiments are meant to have 24 months' rest between tours, but some are on
the front line much longer. As a result, senior NCOs and officers are
leaving the Forces.
The research, published in the British Medical Journal, also found more
than a fifth of those on deployment for more than 13 months reported
domestic problems.
In the paper Roberto Rona, professor of public health, said: "Many
problems bottled-up during a long period of deployment may come to light
on returning home". The longer a soldier was deployed, he warned, the
greater the risk of alcohol misuse.
The report concluded: "Overstretch in the UK Armed Forces may have
consequences on problems at home, and deterioration of psychological
health may be more apparent in those directly exposed to combat."
Derek Twigg, the veterans' minister, said: "We have always been open that
we have a high operational tempo, but as the Chief of Defence Staff has
said, we are stretched but not overstretched.
"The vast majority of troops do not have their tours extended and are on
operations for no longer than six to seven months.
"Our latest figures show that less than one per cent of Royal Navy, 12 per
cent of Army and six per cent of RAF personnel are exceeding the
individual service's harmony guidelines."
The MoD has 15 community mental health teams, in Britain and overseas, and
personnel needing hospital admissions are treated by the private Priory
Group.
Around 5,000 personnel remain in Iraq and almost 8,000 in Afghanistan.
 
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/03/wafg303.xml
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*.sergio.* :

اتجه مجلس الأمن الدولي نحو الموافقة على قرار أميركي بريطاني لتوسيع دور
الأمم المتحدة بالعراق, بعد أن ألمحت روسيا إلى موافقتها على مسودة المشروع.
ومن جهة أخرى قللت واشنطن من أهمية انسحاب وزراء جبهة التوافق من حكومة نوري
المالكي, واصفة تلك الخطوة بالمناورة السياسية.
-- 
R.


Accidenti questi gia' bevono come spugne di suo.
Immaginarsi da stressati, la vendetta di allah, 100.000 infedeli sterminati
dalla cirrosi epatica.
Meglio dell'antrax di Powell.
Saluti
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