Ilhan Omar Talks About 'Trauma' Of War After GOP Lawmaker Dismissed Her PTSD
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), who fled war in Somalia as a child, is speaking out about the trauma of war for civilians ― and challenging the notion that post-traumatic stress disorder is an issue that only soldiers face, after Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) appeared to dismiss her mention of her own PTSD as “offensive” to military veterans.
“The trauma of war is not only felt by the soldier on the battlefield. It is felt by the child huddled under the bed as bombs go off outside her window,” Omar, whose family lived in a refugee camp in Kenya before moving to the United States at age 12, tweeted Thursday. “I am that child and here in Congress I will always speak out against war.”
“War trauma never leaves you,” the congresswoman added.
The trauma of war is not only felt by the soldier on the battlefield. It is felt by the child huddled under the bed as bombs go off outside her window.
I am that child and here in Congress I will always speak out against war.— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 9, 2020
Her tweets came as tensions have been escalating between the U.S. and Iran in recent days. After President Donald Trump ordered the killing of Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani last week, Iran retaliated by attacking military bases in Iraq that house U.S. soldiers. (The House passed a largely symbolic vote Thursday to limit Trump’s war powers.)
Omar’s tweets also came a day after Banks appeared to minimize Omar’s mention of her own PTSD.
Omar was among several progressive lawmakers who spoke out Wednesday at a press conference against a potential war with Iran. After saying she felt “ill” amid the tensions taking place, Omar said: “Every time I hear of conversations around war, I find myself being stricken with PTSD. And I find peace knowing that I serve with great advocates for peace and people who have shown courage against war.”
Banks, who served in the military in Afghanistan, later posted a clip of Omar’s...
