F%$# Me. Now I Have to Defend Sarah Palin

I understand that Track Palin, Sarah's kid, is alleged to have beaten and brandished a firearm at his (hopefully former) girlfriend.

I also heard Sarah Palin blaming Barack Obama, because Track was in Iraq, and has PTSD.

I'm inclined call bullsh%$ on former ½ Governor Palin, because the best evidence is that Track Palin has always been a been prone to violent outbursts.

That being said, articles like this one that claims that Track could not have PTSD because he never saw combat, are crap:

………

The head of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Rick Rieckhoff responded to Palin's statement, saying she shouldn't "politicize" the issue of PTSD and hoped it "doesn’t become a portable chew toy in a political campaign."

In addition, Track Palin's public records indicate that not only did he only serve one year in Iraq, which was under the George W. Bush administration, he also didn't even see one moment of combat. An anonymous fellow solider also spoke about the issue, debunking Palin's earlier claims. “Speaking as a combat vet who literally slept in the same barracks as Track Palin, his mother is wrong and her son is not a victim.”

Let's be clear here: This is NOT how PTSD works.

There are doctors, and nurses, and MPs, and supply officers who never saw a shot fired in anger who have PTSD.

Not being shot at, or shooting someone, does NOT rule out PTSD.

Honestly, I think that the PTSD explanation is likely Palin alibiing (again), but painting with that broad a brush maligns a lot of people who have a very real condition, and need treatment.