Gulf War syndrome 
Viol Keeve – April 7th 2003
 
Veterans like Kirt Love fight a desperate battle against the Pentagon–
about guiltily remained enlightenments and the own credibility. 
 
  
 
" The Shamall-Winde, is called Desert storms, sweeps every day
over the country and whirls tiny particles around ", Kirt Love says.
The 39-year old is Gulf War veteran. " if a tank goes up in flames,
enriched uranium is set free, finest dust. You inhale it, have it on
your skin, in your clothing. They know, that it is dangerous, never
the less they put down it again ". Veterans like Kirt Love knows
the dangers from the last Gulf war and warned before a new in
vain. Many soldiers the " operation Desert Storm " suffers under
the so-called Gulf War syndrome today: Rash, diarrhea, fevers,
memory-difficulties, muscle - and joint-pains, Albträume,
depressions, aggressions, permanent tiredness and Chronic
fatigue.  
 
" For the Pentagon, the case is clear: Such soldiers have not
become ready with the Stress, the burden of the war. That is
a shame, many go home and talk about it ", Kirt Love says embittered.
In 1991, he belonged to a signal-unit, that found out positions of the
Iraqi front for the advancing artillery. " That was rather horrifying,
because we were at it very near and had " no heavy arms, he says.
" We could only observe the other side and could hope that they
don't kill us. We had damned good luck ".  
 
No right war fought 
 
After end of war, in May 1991, he watched as US-Engineers
demolished Iraqi ammunition-bunkers. " The chemicals burned
in different colors, says he, a firework, a colorful trip. The Pentagon
claimed later, Kirt Love has been distant 35 kilometers of the
demolition. " It was 1,5 kilometers, more not ", he emphasizes.
" They could walk there ". 
 
Umso furious did he the return of the soldiers to America nine
months later: It was no reception for heroes, Vietnam-veterans
even said, for a right war, the fight has been too short at the golf.
1993, Kirt Love became sick, disabled, his family turned away.
Already in his unit, he had increased suddenly like other GI strongly. "
First, I, okay, thought that, the age " is, he says. " Later I have out-
found that the one of the symptoms is if they was " exposed
chemical fight-materials. Love lost the feeling in hands and feet,
could neither eat drinks. " Meals felt like shattered glass, water
like battery-acidity ", he says. 
 
Where nothing can be, also nothing is 
 
" I wanted that doctors examine my tissue, useless ", Love explains,
rubs with the hand over the eyes and lifts the T-shirt. " The simplest
would be to be analyzed the fat-tissue at the stomach, that stores
chemicals and metals, that the body has lifted, the longest. then
twitches the shoulders. They wanted to do " not even one hair-
analysis. That shows however: They want no answers ".  
 
Love has established a Veteran organization meanwhile and drives
an Internet site (www.gulflink.org), on which, he doesn't say without
pride, regularly also the Pentagon surfs. He has entered a small
success furthermore: Since January 2003, twelve years after his use,
Love is regarded hindered as 60 percent and receives 800 dollars
per month, previously it was only ten percent–103 dollars in the
month. 
 
The arrogant illness? 
 
The American medicine-historian Elaine show-ages considers the
"Gulf War syndrome" a mass phenomenon, a hysterical epidemic.
Also media-researchers know: The more reports, the more sick
persons. It is showy however that veterans of the golf suffer from
the troubles as repatriates from other wars double so frequently.
Medical studies have covered meanwhile: Not the head, the body
is sick. Over the cause puzzles experts: Was it the fine, radioactive
dust-particles of the uranium-containing US-Munition, that were
inhaled by the soldiers? Their ultramodern electromagnetic
arms with extremely long-wave radiation, chemical fight-materials,
that was destroyed by the GI, anti-poison-gas-pills, that soldier
swallowed, or the smoke of the burning oil-wells?  
 
More than 200 million dollars, the Department of Defense has spent
up to now in order to examine the Gulf War syndrome. Result: No
scientifically verifiable context exists between the illnesses and the
war at the golf. You/they are not regarded in the USA as occupation-
illness until now. Result of the war of 1991: From 700 000 soldiers,
only 300 died, only 400 were injured–however approximately 200 000
GI, who fought in Kuwait, has submitted Affairs propositions with the
department of veteran because of medical problems – like Kirt Love. 
 
Unkonzentriert, fatigué, unemployed, 
 
The mechanic is unemployed today. " Who already takes somebody
like me, that cannot concentrate? There is sufficiently other, he says.
" That was different " before the war. At that time has cut off in her
intelligence-test better, Venus-Val Hammack supplements. He lives
with the 47-year old in Mount Jackson in Virginia. Also she is Veteran,
worked in the war in the headquarters in Rhyad and received heavy
breath - and weight-problems after her return. " I became sick, only
weighed 44 kilos and had to retire " from the service, she says. " A
specialist has proven " late heavy metals in the blood. 
 
Unremittingly both veterans quote scientific studies, photos and
documents, letter of the authorities, proof show that that, about which
they talk, is real. For twelve years, Kirt Love has produced a register
of veterans with Gulf War syndrome, their use-places, illnesses, that
" Desert Storm Battle registers ", collects possessed information to the
old and to the new war–from new chemical fight-materials up to the
number of the ordered " Body bags " for the dead soldiers at the golf.  
 
Work against unconsciousness and bureaucracy 
 
Venus-Val Hammack had met him four years ago on a Veteran event
in Atlanta.  "All have left the area, only she sat there and trembled ",
he says. " As he asked, whether he could help me, I could first believe "
that not at all, she supplements. Somebody took care of her. The
feeling, in the sting been left to his, eint the two - like their untiring
work against unconsciousness and bureaucracy. Strength costs
years-long accusations, sometimes Kirt Love sinks like after a big
effort in the conversation together. It is stuff of a tough fight the
gestures, that betray more than their professionally composed
press-folder. Venus cancels over his/its back: " It is important, also
for the andern ".  
 
Kirt Love nods: " We want that the Justice department deals with
the veterans. Even if it helps us no longer, then future soldiers ".
responsibly feels them. Fighting for himself and she has made others
careful. They lift each interview. That is not only mistrust. Venus
has begun what was said on the hearings of the Veteran group with
video-receptions in order certainly to be. " I also forget my sentences "
later.  
 
Gulf War II 
 
Venus-Val Hammacks and Kirt Love feel as the eigent-lichen losers
of the fights at the gulf, unloved heroes, forgotten warriors, are as
uncomfortable Mahner. In the Pentagon, one even rumors, some
veterans faked their ailment. That outrages them particularly. Also
therefore, they have organized themselves. Their goal is clear: the
examinations of the causes and financial compensation. " Above all
that fears the Pentagon ", he says. " It would cost more than hundred
billion dollars, only the compensation, not research and treatment ". 
 
Now war is again, memories at experiences in the Iraq become awake.
Venus-Val Hammeck escaped a Scud-Rakete, Kirt Love a rocket-
impact in the nightly Bombarde-ment between British and the republican
guards. Defection-fears bother to have not brought many repatriates to
something from the first Gulf war, the feeling, to end at that time.
 
Nevertheless: They didn't want a reprint. " US-Soldatens should defend
America in the country, more not ", Love finds. " I am a veteran. Bush
is not it. 
 
Viola Keeve works as free journalist for magazines and newspapers in Cologne