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The NYT - just like every other media outlet in the world - is not above hit pieces. This seems to be a politically of profit motivated article, and does not belong in a respectable, objective newspaper.
Let's take a closer look at this issue:
121 homicides over 6 years by 1.7 million people is a murder rate of ~1.19 murders/100,000/yr. The national murder rate last year in the US was 5.6 murders/100,000.
Perhaps a more accurate way of comparing data would be to point out that over virtually the same 6 year time period here at home, the US population has increased by about 13,600,000 people, and there has been an increase in murders/yr of about 1000 homicides (16,035 in 2001, 17,034 in 2006). This breaks down to a rate of 1.23 murders/100,000/yr over the last 6 years, which is still greater than the military veteran average of 1.19 murders/100,000/yr over 6 years.
Basically, no matter how you slice it and despite the well-documented high incidence of PTSD, the Iraq vets are committing less homicides that the rest of the population as a whole. This fact really belongs in such an article, and most likely was deliberately omitted in order to increase the political impact and profit margins of the paper. The NYT may preach journalistic ethics and objectivity, but they seem to be more interested in sensationalizing a story to make a buck and push a political agenda than they are with upholding these professional principles.
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