Brain injuries are becoming the signature injury of the Iraq war.  As of March 31, the Pentagon reported about 1,200 traumatic brain injuries sustained in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But when the Pentagon submitted its budget request for next year it cut the funding for the Defense and Veterans Brain injury Center from $14 million to $7 million, and never adequately responded when congressional staffers asked whether it needed more money.  The center had sought $19 million to care for the growing numbers of brain injury cases.

Sgt. Maj. Colin Rich, a Fort Bragg, N.C. soldier who has been legally blind since he was shot in the head while serving in Afghanistan derided the decision:

It’s just rediculous. Whoever is cutting the budget must have a head injury themselves. With all the gunshot wounds and everything else, their plate is full. They need that money.

No one with the brain-injury center was allowed to comment. 

While the Bush administration war hawks make political milage urging people to support our troops, their actions betray anything but support.