Army blames Iraq "mystery illness" on cigarettes.

[cthrumatrix]

Army Stumped on Cause of Troop Illnesses

Wednesday August 6, 2003 4:29 AM
By PAULINE JELINEK

Associated Press Writer

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-2993917,00.html
snip

``And finally, we all know that definitely cigarette smoking is a risk factor for pneumonia no matter what age, no matter what population,'' DeFraites said. ``We emphasize that normally to the troops anyway, but this is even more a reason to avoid cigarette smoking.''

Armywide, pneumonia cases serious enough to warrant hospitalization happen in about 9 of 10,000 soldiers per year, so the 100 cases are not unexpected. It is the severity of the 15 cases that has caused special concern.

Between 400 and 500 soldiers get pneumonia every year in the Army worldwide, DeFraites said, though it might surprise some that ``otherwise young, healthy adults'' get the illness.

snip...

How can they honestly suggest anything like this? Never heard such a "prognosis" for young adults smoking in the US.

Surely, it can't be the affects of depleted unranium?

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. shhhhh

if you do not tell them that there is DU in the air... and tell them
it is cigarrette smoking they will just go on with regular daily life.

Shhhh, don't tell the troops....

:mad: :mad:

[oneighty]

2. Jeez!

Shhhh do not speak of DU as being dangerous to one's health.

Gotta be the smokes, background radiation and bugs. Thats the ticket!

180

[ibegurpard]

3. Whoa!

That's a pretty misleading representation of what that article said. While I would certainly like to believe that this corrupt adminstration would attempt to say something that stupid, neither the title of the article nor the passage you supplied (when read in context) are making that leap.

[cthrumatrix]

5. for our govt. to go out of their way to "imply such BS" is a cover-up

it's simply BS to say that this myserious illness (so called pneumonia) can be caused by smoking?

How many 20 yr olds who smoke have caught pneumonia in 100 degree heat?

[arcane1]

4. and the "Support the Troops" bandwagon rolls on...

"Support the Troops: Lie about what's making them Sick"

has a nice patriotic ring, no?

[lcordero]

6. Another factor

See how long a person's immunity will hold up when they are working 12 to 20 hour days, 7 days a week.
Remember that Rumsfeld drastically undercut the manpower requirements that Generals were asking for.

In between an anthrax shot that is dangerous, a smallpox shot that is also dangerous, physical and mental exhaustion, extreme heat under a lot of heavy equipment, the hostility of the Iraqi people, and low morale, I'm surprised that more people aren't just up and dying from the stress.

[Karenina]

10. And DEHYDRATION!

.

[neuvocat]

7. I bet Phillip Morris would love to hear about that one.

Much as they disgust me I still sent them that link. Watch the lawsuit paperwork fly!!!

[maggrwaggr]

12. Do they still put cigarettes in with the field rations?

I know they used to. When I was a kid we used to get ahold of these C-ration boxes and eat them and play Army.

[onecitizen]

8. I know!!

doesn't that just frost ya?? What the hell is wrong with these people? They will never admit that the boys got something over there. I don't think they've ever owned up to Agent Orange or Gulf War Syndrome yet. That way, they don't have to pay for their disabilities. The jerks!

[cthrumatrix]

9. let's all sue Philip Morris...it causes pneumonia....

according to the Army...


And finally, we all know that definitely cigarette smoking is a risk factor for pneumonia no matter what age, no matter what population,'' DeFraites said. ``We emphasize that normally to the troops anyway, but this is even more a reason to avoid cigarette smoking.''

[htuttle]

11. Actually, cigarettes are an efficient delivery system...

...for environmental toxins like depleted uranium dust -- especially if you have it on your fingers when you're smoking.