In the aftermath of the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf war with Iraq, more than 20,000 U.S. veterans complained of a variety of symptoms that they believe are related to their participation in the conflict. The complaints include fatigue, nausea, joint pain, memory loss and flu-like symptoms. But many government and private researchers have been unable to pinpoint the cause. Last year, a presidential advisory committee said it was unable to identify a single cause but said that the stress and anxiety of war could be a big source of the symptoms. Some activists have put increasing emphasis on a theory that the complaints have arisen because of the depleted uranium coatings on some artillery shells and bombs.
Critics contend that the dust they release has dangerous health effects.
The Special Oversight Board, however, agreed with the studies by the Pentagon and Rand Corp. that found no link between these low-radioactivity substances and the maladies. This finding brought a quick retort from the National Gulf War Resource Center, an advocacy group in Washington. Other research has suggested that the radioactivity settles in bones and a variety of organs, he said. Copyright material is distributed without profit or payment for research and educational purposes only, in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107.