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The Life and Death of an Iraq Veteran Who Could Take No More

This is the tragic story of Douglas Barber, an Iraq veteran who could no longer face his life filled with the memories and demons of the war. He had tried medical help and counselling, and seemed to be getting a bit better. But then last week, he took his shotgun and shot himself in the head. His death is one of numerous instances of Iraqi veterans who have taken their own lives since the illegal US-led invasion of that country. One more victim of Bush's megalomanic insanity. (How can that man and his minions sleep at night?) His story would not have been told but for a group of determined activists and a British journalism student, who was among the handful of people Barber emailed just minutes before taking his life.

Douglas Barber also wrote his last internet article (excerpted here and linked to the full version), a heartfelt, compelling, desperate message to readers. He describes the living hell of PTSD that returning soldiers face - their hopelessness and despair.

The life and death of an Iraq veteran who could take no more

By his own admission Douglas Barber, a former army reservist, was struggling. For two years since returning from the chaos and violence of Iraq, the 35-year-old had battled with his memories and his demons, the things he had seen and the fear he had experienced. Recently, it seemed he had turned a corner, securing medical help and counselling.

But last week, at his home in south-eastern Alabama, the National Guardsman e-mailed some friends and then changed the message on his answering machine. His new message told callers: "If you're looking for Doug, I'm checking out of this world. I'll see you on the other side." Mr Barber dialled the police, stepped on to the porch with his shotgun and - after a brief stand-off with officers - shot himself in the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Read rest of this article here


'We live with permanent scars from horrific events'

Doug Barber wrote this internet article on 12 January, just before he died

My thought today is to help you the reader understand what happens to a soldier when they come home and the sacrifice we continue to make. This war on terror has become a personal war for so many, yet the Bush administration do not want to reveal to America that this is a personal war. They want to run it like a business, and thus they refuse to show the personal sacrifices the soldiers and their families have made for this country. Read rest of Doug Barber's heartfelt, compelling message, the last one he wrote before he took his life

posted by Annamarie at 12:04 AM