Recently declassified Central Intelligence Agency documents show that the CIA gave the Pentagon detailed warnings more than five years ago that, while demolishing an Iraqi ammunition depot following the war, U.S. troops could have been exposed to nerve gas. It is speculated that it affected more than 20,000 troops. The U.S. Army, in an inexcusable administrative blunder, shoved the report aside for four years.
The documents revealed that United Nations weapon inspectors found American demolition material near an arms depot littered with destroyed sarin gas-filled rockets. At the onset, the Army examined the materials and determined that the 24th Mechanized Infantry Division was in the area. The 24th reported that they did not destroy the depot, but the army negligently failed to further pursue the issue.
Last year, Army officials discovered that members of the 37th Engineering Battalion demolished the depot. Many of the engineers have since reported severe medical problems. In the future, the Army must eliminate any possibility of similar oversights. It must ensure that, when the lives of personnel are in question, it comprehensively pursues all investigatory avenues.
A number of mysterious illnesses, collectively known as Gulf War Syndrome, have afflicted Gulf veterans. Often, veterans have trouble collecting disability payments from the government because there is no scientific evidence directly linking these illnesses to service in the Middle East. The health problems within the 37th Engineering might make this link possible.
The Army has the responsibility to thoroughly investigate the medical dangers of exposure to sarin and other chemical weapons. Afterward, the government should individually re-examine all claims of Gulf War Syndrome. If there is any evidence that the illnesses are related to the Gulf War, it should immediately award full disability benefits.
The Presidential Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses recently reported its final findings. The panel criticized the Pentagon for a "superficial" investigation of chemical exposures. The committee also found that chemical weapons were probably not the cause of most Gulf War ailments. However, given the "new" information, it is suspect that the CIA released its documents following the panel's final report. President Clinton should consider reconvening the panel to determine if the evidence would significantly change the committee's report.
The military and CIA have some cleaning up to do. Failure to follow up on evidence that could have adversely affected thousands of personnel was irresponsible. But the deception of the public and the president was equally inexcusable.
The military and CIA should have released the documents to the presidential committee researching Gulf War illnesses. The military can no longer hide its mistakes by stamping them with top secret clearance - American servicepersons and citizens have the right to know.