Cyber Beat

Gulf-Gate: Is It A Gulf War Cover-Up Or A Government Misdiagnosis Or Delay In Discovery?

A war is raging in the United States, and on the internet, over whether chemical weapons were used during the Persian Gulf War. The American government, until recently, has denied that American troops were exposed to chemical weapons during the war. Recently, however, the American government appears to be withdrawing from this position as hundreds of American soldiers who were stationed in the Gulf have developed symptoms of disease that could be attributed to chemical weapons exposure.

In January, 1991, America's children went to the Persian Gulf as part of a team of American and United Nations troops determined to put an end to Saddam Hussein's oppressive forces which had invaded Kuwait in August, 1990. In 1996, Hussein is not only still in power, but concerns are heightening that perhaps Hussein contributed to the cause of many serious illnesses that have developed in the soldiers who were involved in the Gulf war.

During the first few hours of the war questions were raised over whether Hussein might use chemical weapons during the Gulf war. A reporter housed in a bomb shelter in the basement of a fourteen story building in Baghdad indicated that he had heard that government guides and security workers had been seen wearing gas masks. David Goldstein, a reporter covering Israel at the time, indicated that Israeli radio had advised its citizens to have their gas masks ready. Joe Poyer, Editor of the International Military Review, indicated that warheads launched by Iraqi forces were capable of carrying chemical weapons.

During the initial press conference with United States Defense Secretary Dick Cheney and General Colin Powell, General Powell indicated that he would not comment on the types of weapons being used by any of the forces in the Gulf. Secretary Cheney indicated that the four countries involved in the initial stages of Operation Desert Storm were specifically targeting Saddam Hussein's chemical and nuclear arsenal, but he would not comment on whether the move had been successful. Thus, at least in the first days of the Gulf War, there was no direct suggestion that chemical weapons were in fact used.

President Bush, in his January 16, 1991 press briefing from the Oval Office, quoted several American soldiers giving support for the President's decision to send in American troops, regardless of the threat that was facing the troops. MSGT J.P. Kendall, of the 82nd Airborne, was quoted as saying, "We're here for more than just the price of a gallon of gas. What we're doing is going to chart the future of the world for the next hundred years. It's better to deal with this guy now, than five years from now." Unfortunately for many, it appears that MSGT Kendall was right, at least in one respect. The war did change the future of the world, but that future, over five years later, is still "dealing" with the ravages of Hussein and the war.

Within the United States, American troops have experienced symptoms of illness, some of which may be attributed to exposure to chemicals purportedly from the Gulf war. Soldiers have complained loudly about their illnesses, thus the government seems to be further investigating the claims.

As late as December, 1994, Dr. Stephen C. Joseph, M.D., Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, made statements before the Subcommittee on Hospitals and Health Care, that 1,000 individuals have gone through testing for illnesses that may be related to the Gulf War. Eighty-five percent of the illnesses had been readily identifiable yet not classifiable as resulting from a specific or single cause, such as with chemical weapons. The other 15 % had illnesses for which the medical community couldn't explain. Psychological conditions seemed to be a problem in a number of the patients as well.

A separate, more recent report indicated that the most common conditions that have been seen include respiratory conditions, such as chronic sinusitis, bronchitis, asthma, and skin conditions, and various types of musculoskeletal and orthopedic type injuries. Of this latter group, there have been up to 12,000 servicemen who have been awarded service- connected benefits by the Veteran's Administration based upon an appearance that the illnesses developed during, or shortly after the Gulf War.

In a press release issued December 5, 1996, Kenneth H. Bacon, Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense for Gulf War Illnesses indicates that the government is trying to reconstruct records from the Gulf War. Apparently, activity logs for various periods in January, February and from March 4 through 11, 1991, are missing. It was during this time that U.S. troops may have detonated Iraqi bunkers in Khamisiyah which may have contained chemical weapons. However, as of December 5, it appears that it is unknown as to whether the record keeping was poor or whether pages were actually removed. Mr. Bacon, indicated, as stated in the press report, that there have not been any troops who were in the area who had reported being exposed to chemicals, or complained of symptoms of exposure, at that time. At the same time, the Persian Gulf War Veteran's Illnesses Investigation Team has initiated a telephone survey asking service members who were in the area to contact the group for further information. (1- 800-472-6719)

Thus, as of December, 1996, no definitive information is available to the soldiers, families, or the general public, as to whether our troops had in fact been exposed to chemical weapons during the Gulf War. Documents that had once appeared on the internet at the government's Gulflink site were reportedly removed due to the possibility that they had not yet been declassified. Some documents have been replaced, others remain missing. Various officials have been interviewed and none of them have given reporters any conclusive information one way or another about the possible exposure to chemical weapons, whether by accident from our own activities military activities, or deliberately by Hussein. Over five years later no one has been able, or willing, to say there was or was not exposure to chemical weapons in the Gulf. P>Again, our government leaves us dangling. While we dangle, read up at the sites below. You'll be amazed at what you find!