This story reminds me of Gulf War Syndrome, an illness I’ve often wondered if I ever safely avoided. Seems there is an outbreak of a mysterious pneumonia-like illness now affecting soldiers in Iraq.

It could simply be that military personnel are more prone to this kind of illness, as they tend to travel to exotic places, meet exotic people, and kill them.

Ha ha! That’s an old military joke. I mean, military people go to far-flung places and mingle with the locals, as well as work and sleep in close quarters. Add to this the fact that running water is usually not available and you have a recipe for an outbreak.

I don’t think Iraqis are behind this, but when you look at how little we know about Gulf War Syndrome (and how little we care to know – some governments are happy to look the other way), you realize there may be something important going on here.