Gulf War Syndrome

Chemical/Biological Weapons Exposure to Troops During and After the Gulf

War

1994 Evidence Of Gulf War Chemical Weapons Exposure Ignored By CIA Officials
Source: The Coastal Post
http://www.coastalpost.com/97/2/7.htm
February 7, 1997
Patrick G. Eddington, a former CIA analyst who resigned from the CIA in October 1996 in
order to publicly expose the U.S. government's cover-up of chemical/biological weapons
exposure to U.S. troops during and after the Gulf War, informed members of the Senate
Veteran's Affairs Committee last month (during a hearing held Thursday, January 9, 1997)
that CIA officials provided incomplete testimony on the extent of the CIA's knowledge and
investigation of Gulf War Syndrome.
In a letter sent to Acting DCI George Tenet by Eddington's counsel Mark S. Zaid, Esq., a
copy of which was forwarded to Senators Arlen Specter and John D. Rockefeller, IV,
Eddington challenged Mr. Tenet's assertion that the CIA began a comprehensive review in
March 1995 of all relevant intelligence information pertaining to Gulf War Syndrome. Mr.
Eddington noted an internal CIA memorandum dated 21 April 1995 that explicitly states that
the CIA does not plan a comprehensive review of DOD information such as troop testimony,
medical records, or operational logs. Because the CIA repeatedly based on DOD information
its conclusions that no exposures occurred, this statement places in doubt the objectivity,
completeness and value of any CIA review or reports conducted thus far. Furthermore, the
CIA refused to debrief Gulf War veterans or review thousands of pages of captured Iraqi
intelligence that discussed use of chemical and biological weapons.
Mr. Eddington further challenged CIA Executive Director Nora Slatkin's explanation
regarding CIA analyst Larry Fox's accidental confirmation of the Khamisiyah incident on
March 10, 1996. Eddington first provided evidence of Khamisiyah and other incidents still
undisclosed to the public to his CIA supervisors in January 1995 and requested the CIA
investigate the matter further. Larry Fox was among the analysts who provided specific
documents (at a briefing on February 17, 1995) showing that U.S. troops were potentially
exposed to chemical agents at Khamisiyah. Mr. Tenet testified that by September 1995, the
CIA believed troops may have been exposed, but awaited word from the Defense Department
on confirmation of U.S. troop presence in the area.
The CIA gave Larry Fox and other analysts specific, then classified, documents showing that
U.S. troops were potentially exposed to chemical agents at various sites in Kuwait and Iraq,
including Khamisiyah. To say that the CIA did not realize the significance until September
1995 and confirm the occurrence in March 1996 avoids the issue, said Eddington. They
should have known in early 1995, because I showed them the documents, and confirmation of
U.S. troops in the area was available in the CIA library, he said.

In addition to notifying the Senate Veteran's Affairs Committee, Eddington's attorney also
requested the CIA's Office of Inspector General (which is currently investigating the
allegations raised by Eddington in late October 1996) to examine the statements made by Mr.
Tenet and Ms. Slatkin and look into whether a) Agency employees sought to avoid an honest
review of the evidence uncovered by Eddington and b) the Agency retaliated against
Eddington and his wife.
The letter to Mr. Tenet concluded that it is disconcerting that CIA leadership still refuses to
accept responsibility for failing to investigate credible information provided to it by one of its
own highly regarded analysts. Had the CIA carefully evaluated this information in 1994-95,
two years of delay could have been avoided and our veterans' suffering might have been
lessened. At the very least, perhaps the veterans, their families and the American public
would not be so quick to believe their government has abandoned them and has engaged in a
cover-up of the truth.
Eddington, along with his wife Robin, also a former CIA analyst, first went public with his
allegations in an October 30, 1996 New York Times story. His book Gassed in the Gulf: The
Pentagon-CIA Cover-up of Gulf War Syndrome is due to be published by Logical Figments
Books in association with Insignia Publishing by early March 1997. Further information can
be found at http://www.insigniausa.com.
Note: Full text of the letter to Mr. Tenet is available upon request.
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