Mystery blood clots felling U.S. troops

United Press International ^ | Tue, 7 Oct 2003 | Mark Benjamin, UniPresser

[DoughtyOne]

Is it possible that AP could actually find something nice to report on out of Iraq? Over the years we can only hope. I'm still waiting.

While I do have some concern over this, this still looks for all the world like more propaganda. The troops are dying, it's a quagmire. It's costing lots of money. What are we doing there?

If the print media can't find a decent story to report out of the region, the U.S. should revoke their passes and send them packing. AP should be working for Al Jazeera. Their stories seem to have that same cutting edge, always cutting our side to shreds.

[archy]

I think, though, that often times the clots that lodge in the lungs form in the legs.

That's the condition known as DVT, as I recall. We got briefings about it prior to hot weather training exercises at the National Training Center at Ft Irwin, CA, chosen because of it's similarity to Middle Eastern desert terrain and conditions.

See the FReeppost response *here*

-archy-/-

[archy]

Is it possible that AP could actually find something nice to report on out of Iraq? Over the years we can only hope. I'm still waiting.

While I do have some concern over this, this still looks for all the world like more propaganda. The troops are dying, it's a quagmire. It's costing lots of money. What are we doing there?

Remember that the AP is not a monolithic entity unto and of itself, but a cooperative membership of affiliated newspapers. If there's something about the AP's coverage you're upset with, let your local newspaper know about it, and it does indeed start getting back to the AP personnel in the field.

But note that this story is sourced from United Press International, and in the past, Unipressers have been both better sources of accurate reporting, and often former military participants themselves, who tricky PAO officers found it hard to prevaricate their way past. And other UniPressers, like UPI staffer Kate Webb, tasken as a POW in Cambodia and who surprisingly lived to tell about it, were often equally dedicated and knowledgable. We'll see if a sharp UPI reporter who meets those standards comes out of this war as well.

Interesting, though that out of all of the 1991 Desert Shield/Desert Storm period, not one AP guy's story was even nominated for a Beidler for their war reporting; only freelancer/semiretired cartoonist Bill Mauldin and one other newspaperman.

-archy-/- -archy-/-

[Tactical]

Folks let's see what is happening with these deaths. I am one not to forget how we sprayed Agent Orange all over ground troops in Vietnam, or the troops came in on patrol after a spraying and were exposed to it. I know I was one of them.

Also let's not forget how Agent Orange exposure was played down for years. Do you Vietnam era vets know that if you are type II Diabetic, you need to call the VA and get signed up for disability pay and medical treatment? Thanks once again to exposure in Vietnam.

I'm not bad mouthing the military, but not everyone has the troops health in their hearts. We need to apply what we've seen historically to the present, or we haven't learned anything.

[PhiKapMom]

First thing I thought of was David Bloom from NBC who had pain behind the knees first!

[archy]

I'm not bad mouthing the military, but not everyone has the troops health in their hearts. We need to apply what we've seen historically to the present, or we haven't learned anything.

Concern for the welfare of the troops, active duty or former, is hardly *bad mouthing the military;* neither is the ferretting out of criminal war profiteers who accept personal gain from suffering and injury to American troops, even if highly placed General or Flag Rank officers are implicated. Or higher.

But neither has the VA exactly established itself as either an agency whose first loyalty is to those veterans it serves, or an impartial one. There's plenty of room for some very valid criticism in both departments.

-archy-/-

[joesnuffy]

Yep...just a coated baby asprin per day should do it...

[stylin19a]

You may be right regarding deaths from all causes. But deaths from specific causes are another matter. 18 deaths from blod clots may be statistically insignificant in the general population over time, but it is probably significant in the short period of time with which they occurred, the smaller unique subset of the population in which they occurred and where they occurred.

I hope someone keeps an eye on this with periodic updates.

[DoughtyOne]

We've got what 100-150 thousand troops over there? They mention about ten to fifteen troops who have exhibited problems. While I think this may be something to watch for, it's not nearly as desperate as the headline makes it look.

There isn't an epidemic of problems. The whole body of troops isn't coming down with symptoms by any means.

This just seems like shody journalism to me. They're trying to build another key issue to take the US down over. I resent it.

Had the title been something like, "A Few Servicement Experience Circulation Problems" I would have read it and moved on.

Perhaps I'm overreacting to it. I do care what's happening to our troops, but I don't want a small instance of circulation problems to be exploited to basicly undercut their efforts. The media's fave tactic IMO.

[EuroFrog]

No, they arent.

[mewzilla]

Take pity, I'm decaffeinating. What aren't what? :)

[RobbyS]

Don't let common sense enter the discussion. Shame on you!

[mewzilla]

Oh, did you mean screened for heart disease? If so, might not be a bad idea.

[JustPiper]

We must also remember David Bloom seemed the first to die from this.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

The doctors that refused orders to take the anthrax vaccine and had their military careers ruined because of it may know something we don't. Why else would they have been so adamant?

[mewzilla]

Folks should talk to their doc before starting a low dose aspirin regimen, though :) Aspirin can have side affects even at low doses.

[archy]

The doctors that refused orders to take the anthrax vaccine and had their military careers ruined because of it may know something we don't. Why else would they have been so adamant?

As do the Air National Guard and Reservist pilots who fly for civilian airlines, and have been told that if they receive the experimental anthrax *vaccine* and exhibit the reactions some have reported, they'll lose their company flight status immediately. Those are the military pilots who've refused the shots, for the most part.

It's interesting that you can't force the experimental drugs on an enemy prisoner of war or it's a war crime, can't force it on a convicted prisoner or it's a felony federal civil rights violation, but military enlisted personnel who refuse the shots are court-martialed and jailed. Makes you real proud to be an American.

-archy-/-

[archy]

We must also remember David Bloom seemed the first to die from this.

Or the first whose death couldn't be kept concealed from the press and public.

-archy-/-

[Lucy Lake]

Ping.

[Ferret Fawcet]

btt

God bless our troops.