The Trump regime initially claimed that no American personnel were injured when Iran launched a retaliatory missile attack on Al-Asad airbase in Iraq, but Defense One originally reported last week that at least eleven service members were transported to treat traumatic brain injures.
Just a few days ago, Trump dismissed a new report that even more service members suffered brain injuries by saying it's "not serious," but it does seem very serious indeed.
The number of service members who suffered brain injuries as a result of the attack has officially tripled to 34 according to a Pentagon spokesperson.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon said Friday that 34 U.S. troops were diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries suffered in this month’s Iranian missile strike on an Iraqi air base, and that half of the troops have returned to their military duties.
Seventeen of the 34 are still under medical observation, according to Jonathan Hoffman, the chief Pentagon spokesman.
President Donald Trump had initially said he was told that no troops had been injured in the Jan. 8 strike.
We obviously can't say just how severe their injuries were, whether they were mild concussions or worse, but the fact is nearly three dozen service members were injured when the Trump regime initially said there were no injuries.
We can be fair and allow for the possibility that they didn't know when they initially said there were no injuries, but it's just as if not more likely under Trump that they lied. Trump himself does not believe that brain injuries are real injuries so it's possible they did know but he personally did not take it seriously.
The House Armed Services Committee should hold a hearing on the manner. They can't be allowed to get away with lying about casualties in this case because it raises so many questions about other cases in which casualties may be under-reported or not reported at all. It's not fair to service members or their friends and families to withhold the real numbers.
It probably goes without saying, but if the Obama or any other democratic administration lied about injuries, the right wing would explode. In this case, they don't even care because they don't really "support the troops" to the extent that they would ever question Trump over it.