To: Road Walker who wrote (293813 ) 7/12/2006 7:32:42 PM From: tejek Read Replies (1) | Respond to US soldier subdued on Florida flight By Robert Green While the allied losses seem relatively light by comparison, the death toll does not tell the entire story. As of the year 2001, according to the Department of Veteran Affairs, approximately 149,000 [out of a total of 183,000 claims filed and approved] of the original American combatants have been declared permanently disabled by the Department of Veteran Affairs. Many American soldiers were diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD] upon their return to the United States. Some were not able to work and resume their former lives. In addition other suffered from other problems that have been combined under what’s called the Gulf War Syndrome [GWS]. Upon returning home, many soldiers experienced chronic fatigue, anxiety attacks, shortness of breath, memory problems, skin problems, diarrhea, etc. It’s estimated that 1/3 of American combatants have had one or more of those symptoms. It’s also believed that Depleted Uranium [DU] and/or the oil toxins in the air and ground of the Kuwaiti desert are acting as a teratogenic. Increases in birth defects for children of Gulf War veterans have been reported. A 2001 survey of 15000 GW veterans found that the children of the fathers in the war had a birth defect rate that was 1.8 times greater than the normal human population in the US. For wives in the war, the rate was 2.8 times higher than the normal population. The US government does not believe DU is a problem and cites World Health statistics in support of its position. The Department of Veteran Affairs denies that the birth defect rate is higher among Gulf War participants.
