Gulf War syndrome is an unscientific term that covers medical symptoms ranging from muscle pain to memory loss and violence. Problems after the war first surfaced among a group of Indiana reservists. Some theorize that the toxic stew of nerve gas traces from destroyed weapons, smoke from burning oil wells and dust from uranium shells may have combined with other factors to sicken troops in 1991. Others reviewing the illnesses point to the stress of combat as the key factor. The root cause has not been identified. ....Exposure to nerve gas has been linked to damage in the brain's basal ganglia -- the same areas affected in Huntington's disease -- which has resulted in homicidal and suicidal behavior, said Dr. Robert W. Haley, an expert on Gulf War illnesses and director of the Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Although nerve gas isn't believed to have been used by Iraqi troops, some of it may have been released when coalition forces destroyed captured stockpiles.

The VA officially reports that 159,238 soldiers who were in the Gulf in 90'-91' are disabled. Of that number over 111,000 are 10% or more disabled. According to the report 8,000 Gulf War vets have died. The report that mentions all this came out in September, but I don't know of one U.S. newspaper that has mentioned it.

We’re led to believe that Gulf War casualties were minimal. At the close of the fighting in 1991 less than 800 were killed and wounded. But first a trickle and then a river of American soldiers have gotten sick. The enormous numbers of casualties is not confined to soldiers who fought in the Gulf War. The V.A. has awarded disability to another 60,000 soldiers who went into the Gulf countries after the war was over. These are considered "theater" veterans. 2,000 of Gulf War "theater" veterans have died. This is very alarming. It means that the Gulf area (Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia) is still highly contaminated. The chief suspect is DU, "depleted uranium".

Obsessed with a quick triumph and low body counts the U.S. military fought the Gulf War without calculating the long term effects on its soldiers of its hi-tech weapons and "miracle" pharmaceuticals. Now the politicians are again sending the troops in harms way. U.S. parents will be gambling that the military brass that failed so wretchedly in Desert Storm will this time protect the health of their sons and daughters. The odds are poor. if the war starts Iraqi soldiers and civilians will be the main casualties, but U.S. soldiers will likely also pay a steep price for "victory".