The Return of the Wacko Vet Media Narrative
As the troop build-up in Iraq produces positive results, many media outlets have seized upon a new anti-war narrative. It’s right out of the Vietnam War-era: wacko and self-destructive vets running amok on the home front.
“Soldier Suicides at Record Levels,” trumpeted a 1,500-word front-page piece in the Washington Post this week. And for three recent Sundays, the New York Times has dished up a front-page series of more than 10,000-words called “War Torn.” It’s about veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan who have returned home — only to kill again.