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) |