Demagogue

The Associated Press reported:

The number of U.S. Army soldiers who took their own lives increased last year to the highest total since 1993, despite a growing effort by the Army to detect and prevent suicides.

In 2005, a total of 83 soldiers committed suicide, compared with 67 in 2004, and 60 in 2003 — the year U.S.-led forces invaded Iraq.

But this Army official didn't seem all that bothered by the news:

“Although we are not alarmed by the slight increase, we do take suicide prevention very seriously,” said Army spokesman Col. Joseph Curtin.

Let's be clear here. What the Army calls a "slight increase" is a 38% jump in the past two years.

So how can we believe his claim that the Army takes the issue of suicide "very seriously" when he says the Army is not alarmed by a 38% jump in suicides?