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| Iraq-Jordan |
| 'Toxin link' to Gulf War veterans' illness |
| 2004-11-13 |
| The illnesses suffered by veterans of the first Gulf War appeared to be linked to toxins including nerve gas, according to a US report. The US Veterans Affairs Department said stress or mental illness did not explain most veterans' complaints, but there was a probable link to toxins. British campaigners are demanding the government recognise "Gulf War Syndrome". The UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) says there is not enough evidence to prove its existence. (good enough to serve but not to assist? The report, by the Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses, said up to 30% of US Gulf War veterans had been afflicted by a "complex of multiple chronic symptoms over and above expected rates seen in veterans who did not serve in the Gulf War. What the Americans are saying is that the illness is not stress-related and not in the mind." Symptoms include headaches, memory problems, confusion, dizziness, blurred vision and tremors. It said reports indicated a large number of Gulf War troops were exposed to a variety of potentially toxic substances, including low levels of chemical nerve agents, pills taken to protect veterans from the effects of nerve agents and insect repellents and pesticides, that can adversely affect the nervous system. (more via link) |
| Posted by:Mark Espinola |
| #6 I've always had two thoughts on this issue. It would not surprise me to learn that the mix of chemicals that many soldiers were exposed to, from the burning oil wells, and munitions, coupled woth the unusual stress would produce a medical problem. Also, every region of the world has illnesses that are endemic to that area and no other. It is very possible that there is something native to that region that the locals shrug off that affects outsiders differently. Thirty years ago we weren't talking about prion caused diseases. This could be something along those lines. |
| Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2004-11-13 9:42:14 PM |
| #5 I'll wager there will be an IF Sickness.... its symptoms will be similiar and just as difficult to trace to a source. Perhaps stresss, perhaps camp disease? Who knows. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-11-13 3:50:45 PM |
| #4 I've always been skeptical about GWS. It reeks of of whinning and I need a disabilty and I'm willing to raise hell to get it. Maybe it's a problem maybe not. Actually, with all due respect.... I think it's a crock. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-11-13 3:48:48 PM |
| #3 All due respect OS, I did state Does this make the claimant problems unreal, No. In the haste by both the government and those effected to position themselves, the real science and scientific methodology has been ignored. That includes lumping a number of ailments into one general catagory of GWS. If you defy the methodology you'll delay getting to the root of the problems and therefore the solution, cure, or proper treatment. |
| Posted by: Don 2004-11-13 2:36:40 PM |
| #2 The "only 2 out of 100" arguement doesnt fly - some are more resistant than others. Expose the general population to malaria and not everyone gets it either - that doesnt mean it doesnt exist. The "science" done to date has been underfunded, and done with a slant fromthe beginning that predisposed the researchers to find *nothing* since thats the desired result. Government health research is wonderful for reinforcing a conclusion, but unless its urgent, its not much for discovering a cause, especially when there is a desire for a given result. Fully funding impartial research by outside (outside the DoD and outside the Government if possible) medical researchers will solve this onece and for all. I know guys that got hit with this - it is real, it is messing with good soldiers. Thank God I didnt get affected. Nobody in my company did - and we think its because our unit medic paperwhipped most of the anti-nerve-gas meds. Other than that, we were a front line unit, and probably exposed to everything - that was a mean mess we went through wiht all those injections, the chemical alarms (all false to the best of my knowledge), petrochem hydrocarbons from burning oil wells, sand fleas, gnats, etc. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2004-11-13 1:48:14 PM |
| #1 Mike, the problem is that the claimants keep running into real scientific problems. Like how come in a hundred man unit, assigned or attached, with all operating in the same location, only one or two get the symptoms? How come the percentage of appearence of symptoms are similar to the same percentage of males of the same age/ethnic/economic group of the general population which never was near the region? Does this make the claimant problems unreal, No. However, the claimants have been in a rushing to burn the witch, lay blame, and not do the science to find the real causal factor. They and their agents have been engaging in speculation without facts [sound familiar?]. Meanwhile, the VA is taking all claims for GWS and the claimants are suppose to be getting both medical and financial assistance, though the medical assistance is limited to symptoms if we can't figure out the real root cause. |
| Posted by: Don 2004-11-13 10:58:46 AM |