Yet it is doubtful if even now, over 16 years after the
Khamisiyah disaster, the DoD will finally face the issue of US-troop
sarin exposure.
One obvious reason is money. If the DoD admitted to withholding
critical information connected to their medical illnesses, tens (or
even hundreds) of thousands of Gulf War veterans could potentially
become eligible for compensation.
Second, acknowledging the sarin issue could raise further questions about
the Pentagon's 2003 admission of having tested biological/chemical agents on 5,842 service members
from 1962-73. In operations called Project 112 and Project SHAD, the
Defense Department tested weapons capabilities on troops in six states
(Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Utah), Canada and Britain.
Many veterans of those operations were not informed for decades and are
still fighting for compensation and recognition.
Third, an
admission of guilt would weaken the DoD's credibility regarding
controversial programs today. For example, the anthrax vaccine is
mandatory for military personnel and civilians deploying to
"high-threat" areas across the globe, including Iraq and Afghanistan,
despite being linked to serious illnesses and even death among US service members. Quite conveniently, the quarterly analysis of medical care data for vaccinated service members was ended in 2002.
So as we honor our service members and veterans this Memorial Day, we
must acknowledge the continuing battle many face to receive
compensation for exposure to chemical/biological weapons long ago and
to avoid potentially harmful vaccines today. Our troops deserve better.
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