Michael Donnelly's diary entries offer a matter-of-fact account of his 44 combat missions during the Gulf War, but his descriptions of dealing with doctors after coming home are more frightening. Diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, Donnelly is convinced what he has is "Gulf War syndrome"--brought on by exposure to low levels of nerve and poison gases during the war. "I don't know what to believe, where to turn for help," he writes. "All the while my body continues to deteriorate, heedless of the possible causes of its slow degeneration." Although he had served in the military for 15 years, Donnelly had to hire a lawyer and appeal to the Air Force Medical Evaluation Board to force the air force to pay him full disability benefits. And though the government denied any responsibility for his illness, we learn that U.S. officials both in Washington and at the front were aware of Iraq's chemical-weapons capability--and continued with their plans regardless: "Troops came upon camels lying dead and decaying in the desert ... dogs and rodents and other small animals died, suddenly, inexplicably, shortly after those tens of thousands of 'false' chemical weapons alarms rang out. The alarms were so common, some commanders even ordered their troops to disable or disregard them." Falcon's Cry is a story of courage and betrayal, a war story in which the casualty doesn't occur until after the fighting stops. --Linda Killian ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Enlightening
I obtained a tape of this book from the library of the blind , on tape.
I was fascinated with the whole process of his student days as well as the way they worked in the present time illness.
My heart goes out to him and his family and ALL other Soldiers who became ill with no apparent cause after the war.
I would like to know what his present status is, and would like to help in any way that is possible.
In thinking that our present war situation probably is as tentative, to hold this VITAL information back from those who serve makes a mockery of the Ideals our Country was founded on.
I used to participate in Living History, and the good thing about that is that we seem to LEARN from the past.
War does NOT change minds or hearts.
I would hope and pray that this present generation does not have to pay the price of this brave Soldier, Officer, and Gentleman.

Please read Falcon's Cry and remember that he was not alone.
I first came across the book in the fall of '99. It was at a critical time in my air force career. Soon, the mandate to submit to the anthrax vaccine would require a decision that would obviously affect the rest of my life. Take a vaccine that has been proven to cause terrible reactions and has been whispered to be a root cause of Gulf War Illness or refuse and be subject to military justice and the end of my career.

In my squadron, the most asked question to management was "If we become ill following the vaccine, will the Air Force take care of us?" As I saw in this book, the answer to the question is NO.

As pilots, our most treasured asset is our health. Without it, we can no longer perform the mission that we love. The manner in which Michael and Denise describe the physical and mental anguish he endured was truly overwhelming. I could imagine myself in his position and the way I would react; how I would feel.

In my months of research, this book proved to be one of the many determining factors in my decsion. When I talked to former commanders who reminded me of their experiences with Agent Orange or when I spoke with members at my own base that had testified to Congress about their illnesses following the anthrax vaccine, in the back of my mind was Michael Donnelly.

I ultimately made my decision to resign in lieu of taking the vaccine which has led to the end of my aviation career. The only salvation I have is the knowledge that I will never need to worry about unexplained illness in the future.

My most heartfelt sympathy and gratitude go out to Michael and Denise's families. Michael's story is one that I will never forget. Thank you for helping me make my decision.

A message for millions of Americans
In this story there is a message for millions of Americans. In this story the reader will learn about the "wheels of justice." ... Read more

Subjects:  1. (Michael William)   2. Biography / Autobiography   3. Donnelly, Michael   4. General   5. History   6. History: World   7. Medical care   8. Middle East - General   9. Military   10. Military - Persian Gulf War   11. Military History - Persian Gulf War   12. Military Personal Narratives   13. Persian Gulf War, 1991   14. Persian Gulf syndrome   15. Personal narratives, American   16. Political aspects   17. United States   18. Veterans   19. Political Science / General   

Subjects:  1. Colonic Diseases, Functional   2. Diseases   3. Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic   4. Medical   5. Mental Health   6. Neuropsychology   7. Psychiatry - General   8. Psychology   9. Somatoform Disorders   10. physiopathology   

Customer Reviews (11)

Of Fierce Compassion and Gritty Integrity
I'm a longtime reader of intelligence-related books. I have a serious interest in how the most secret parts of our government work or don't work.

Patrick Eddington has written a book that makes me feel like I'm on the inside, walking the halls of Langley, meeting disappointments and frustrations, denials and evasions at every turn. This is not a dry expose of government misdeeds. This book presents, in active, personal narrative, the journey from discovery to action to reaction to confrontation to breaking past the wall of CIA and DOD denials of the chemical exposure of our Gulf War veterans. You watch Patrick and his wife experience career blockages when they try to pursue the truth.

You might think a book like this would be depressing. But it's rather energizing. Full of first-hand knowledge as well as documents (some printed in full at the back of the book,) this is one of those rare books that inspires and empowers. For as frustrating as it is to see high level people in the government making the worse choice at every fork, there is also the beauty of seeing Patrick and his wife braving the storm in the hopes of helping those who would have given their lives to protect the rest of us. I don't mean to play down the hard data he presents to make his argument, but what makes the book a fasinating read is the narrative of the personal events along the way. It's a story of fierce compassion, gritty integrity and an honest-to-goodness commitment to doing the right thing. How refreshing!

An Important Book For Everyone To Read
"Gassed In The Gulf" is one of the most important books I have read in recent memory. As an independent journalist who's written on the subject of Gulf War Syndrome, I found Mr. Eddington's book to be enormously insightful. Most of my research and writing on this topic revolved around the exposure of our troops to depleted uranium, and how that is directly connected to GWS; however, my knowledge of the release of chemical/biological agents during the war was, as this book has shown me, sadly lacking.

The notion that depleted uranium and chemical/biological weapons both interacted, lowering the immuno response of the troops and thus making them much more susceptible to the effects of one another, as well as creating symptoms that might not match simply one type of exposure, is highly likely. This would, of course, explain why often there are examples of symptoms not directly linked to simply chemical/biological exposure of just depleted uranium. The result is no doubt the cause of much of the confusion about the true nature of GWS.

Mr. Eddington's book serves to provide what, for me, is the "missing link" in all of this. He and his wife are to be commended for their courage and dedication to this issue, especially in light of the enormous burden and subsequent personal risk they have endured to make this information available to the veterans of the war and to all Americans in general. I offer my thanks, as well as my sympathies for their struggles in dealing with the after-effects of their revelations.

Anyone serious about understanding the degree to which political considerations and a complete lack of humanitarian considerations propel U.S. policy decisions must read "Gassed in the Gulf". We owe it not only to ourselves, and to the many Gulf War veterans and their families, but to the very promises of liberty and truth which we all hold so dear.

Andrew Poe
Washington, DC

One of the most important books about the Gulf War
This is one of the most important books about the Gulf War.

Pat Eddington tells the story in this book of his and his wife's odyssey within the CIA, working to adjust official policy to reflect the actual facts on the ground. Unfortunately, truth was one of the first casualties of the Gulf War.

Interviewing veterans, including key source documents and detailing the shameful way the government dealt with returning veterans of the Gulf War, Eddington reveals a different side of Washington -- a Washington that waves flags in time of war but hides behind accountants when the warriors secure peace.

Let us hope those deployed in the future are treated better. As a long-time activist on behalf of veterans and the author of an upcoming novel on the Gulf War (Prayer at Rumayla: A Novel of the Gulf War) I offer thanks to Pat and Robin Eddington for their dedication on behalf of our country and its defenders. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Chemical And Biological Warfare   2. Chemical warfare   3. History   4. History - Military / War   5. Medical care   6. Middle East - General   7. Military   8. Military - Biological & Chemical Warfare   9. Military - United States   10. Military History - Persian Gulf War   11. Persian Gulf War, 1991   12. Persian Gulf syndrome   13. Political aspects   14. Safety measures   15. United States   16. United States - 20th Century (1945 to 2000)   17. Veterans   

Subjects:  1. Europe - Great Britain - General   2. History   3. History - Military / War   4. History: World   5. Military - Aviation   6. Military - General   

Subjects:  1. Autobiographical memory   2. Cognitive Psychology   3. Epistemology   4. False memory syndrome   5. Personal Growth - Memory Improvement   6. Psychology   7. Social Psychology   8. Women   

Were American soldiers serving in the Persian Gulf conflict exposed to chemicals that caused them to come down with "Gulf War syndrome"? Or are they experiencing symptoms of extreme psychological stress? Seymour Hersh, the investigative journalist who alerted Americans to the My Lai massacre and the bombing of Cambodia, can't answer those questions definitively.What he can do--and ably does--is demonstrate two simple facts: (1) military officials, either through a lack of knowledge or deliberate concealment, did not fully inform the government--and more importantly its own troops--about the risks of biochemical exposure in combat against Iraq; and (2) whatever the causes of "Gulf War syndrome," the government has done far too little to help the sick veterans. Other unsettling questions with no easy answers emerge from Hersh's reportage. Why have the so-called heroes of the Persian Gulf, retired generals Norman Schwarzkopf and Colin Powell, seemingly distanced themselves from the plight of troops under their former command? Why did it take so long for Congress to even acknowledge that there might be a problem? Against All Enemies is a brief but disturbing exposé of institutional neglect from one of the media's most tenacious government watchdogs.--Ron Hogan ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

VVAWAI Says its not up to Hersh's Usual Excellence
The Gulf War veterans and their supporters in Congress have forced a resisting military and intimidated white house to acknowledge that the price of war-even in smashing triumph-is high. The lesson this book teaches is this: Today's high tech wars are too important and too dangerous to be left to the military or to the politicians. Neither will risk all to protect their soldiers. Those men and women who do the fighting want their say, too, and are learning how to get it". This book, by its glaring omission of criticism, upholds the Gulf War Massacre. This is not an anti-war book, it's a book calling upon the system to live up to its supposed "ideals". It seems as though the author has gotten defensive in the wake of his stinging book on the Kennedys [see Camelot Review-Ed.] and backed off on some of his indictment for the system. Hersh sees a government divided. He says that the CIA had knowledge that there were chemical weapons at Khamisyah and "failed to relay the information...that failure was a criminally negligent mistake, but it was not a cover-up." Apologizing for the government by saying the problem was confusion inside the American intelligence movement is absurd. He portrays the white house as "intimidating" saying "Bill Clinton was afraid to take on the Pentagon. It was up to Congress to do what the president would not. In many respects this is their victory"!

The book has a strong 'honor the vet' edge that leaves a nasty taste in our mouths. If you've had the privilege of reading the scathing expose, My Lai 4 , by this same author you would never believe it's the same guy. This book does do a good job, if you filter well through the politics, of outlining the major physiological issues regarding the Gulf War Illness. With that exception noted, we can only say this: Paper will put up with anything that is written on it.

Too late....
This book helped me to understand what my brother had been trying to say...he was sick (a Gulf War Vet...now deceased). My family thanks Seymour Hersh and any others who expose the military for what they did (and didn't do) before, during, and after the Gulf War. The book made a lot more sense than the propaganda material the gov't. has sent our family concerning questions we've had. According to the military....everything (except for the stress) occurred in "insignificant levels to have caused any diseases". Tell that to my brother now... Good job Mr. Hersh!

Against All Enemies
A very well written, well researched and well documented book on Gulf War Syndrome. It concisely answers the "Who, What, When, Where and Why" questions that many of us are asking. In doing so, it lifts the lid on one more of America's dirty little secrets. Powerful and Amazing. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Government - U.S. Government   2. History   3. History - Military / War   4. History: American   5. Medical care   6. Military - General   7. Military - Persian Gulf War   8. Military - United States   9. Military History - Persian Gulf War   10. Persian Gulf War, 1991   11. Persian Gulf syndrome   12. Political aspects   13. United States   14. Veterans   15. History / Military / Vietnam War   

Subjects:  1. AIDS (Disease)   2. Aids (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)   3. Diseases - AIDS & HIV   4. Drug abuse   5. Government policy   6. Medical policy   7. Political Science   8. Politics - Current Events   9. Politics/International Relations   10. Public Policy - General   11. Public Policy - Social Policy   12. U.S. Practical Politics   13. United States   

Subjects:  1. Diseases   2. Health aspects   3. Persian Gulf War, 1991   4. Persian Gulf syndrome   5. United States   6. Veterans   

Customer Reviews (1)

REAL thinking about astrology
Most students and practitioners of astrology squeam and squirm when you begin to inquire as to the scientific basis for astrological claims. The slicker cons of the art will fall back on the old standard, "the stars incline, they do not compel". This book blasts beyond such muddle-minded fuddiness and TAKES ASTROLOGY SERIOUSLY. It asks the question, "If astrological claims have any validity, how can we know, and what evidence exists to support such?" AND LEST YOU THINK the authors are biased against astrology, you would not feel surprised to discover that the authors agree that some of the best evidence available seems to support what some call "The Mars Effect". Sure, they conclude that this effect stands alone as valid among astrological claims to date: meaning everything ELSE in astrology has no statistical support whatsoever. But if you want to read a book that only tells you what you wanted to hear, you might as well look back to the stars.

NOTICE that this book does NOT enter into extended speculation about HOW the stars can or CANNOT effect or reflect human forces; it does not conclude that NO astrological model COULD EVER indicate influences on human events. IT ONLY concludes that MOST of the models currently in use SHOW ABSOLUTELY NO STATISTICAL RELEVANCE in predicting anything about anything, except for the Mars effect. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Astrology   2. Astrology - General   3. General   4. Science   

Subjects:  1. Health and hygiene   2. Health aspects   3. Health/Fitness   4. Infectious Diseases   5. Internal Medicine   6. Medical   7. Medical / Nursing   8. Military - Persian Gulf War   9. Military History - Persian Gulf War   10. Military Medicine   11. Persian Gulf War, 1991   12. Persian Gulf syndrome   13. Public Health   14. Treatment   15. United States   16. Veterans   

Subjects:  1. General   2. Infectious Diseases   3. Medical   4. Medical / Nursing   5. Military Science   6. Persian Gulf syndrome   7. Technology   8. Environmental medicine   9. Iraq   10. Petroleum & oil industries   11. War & defence operations   12. c 1990 to c 2000   

Customer Reviews (1)

THE FIRST AUTHOR IS GARY CECCHINE, NOT B. GOLOMB
Click on the thumbnail to see a larger picture of the book - see what I mean?

Well balanced, insightful review. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Infectious Diseases   2. Medical   3. Medical / Nursing   4. Military Science   5. Persian Gulf syndrome   6. Environmental medicine   7. Insecticides & pesticides   8. Iraq   9. War & defence operations   10. c 1990 to c 2000   

Subjects:  1. Infectious Diseases   2. Medical   3. Medical / Nursing   4. Medical Research   5. Military   6. Military Science   7. Persian Gulf syndrome   8. Research   9. Statistical methods   

Subjects:  1. Medical / Nursing   2. Toxicology   

Features

• Bargain Pric

Customer Reviews (4)

A humanist classic
A brilliant investigation into and meditation on the intersection of epidemiology, journalism, politics, and human suffering known as the Gulf War Syndrome. The book is sui generis, and as with many works of surpassing originality it may be overlooked today, but I predict people will be reading this humanist classic in a hundred years.

A gripping read
This book is a remarkable portrait of a difficult and highly politicized medical phenomenon -- Gulf War Syndrome -- and its subsets, chronic fatigue syndrome, chemical sensitivities and fibromyalgia. Because of this overlap, many, many Americans will be tremendously interested by this book. It is deep and broad, and rich. Journalists and historians will also be fascinated by the writer's unusual and intelligent method, and the implications of the story. Wheelwright not only keeps you reading way past your bedtime, but reveals the complexities for victims, doctors, and the public's attitudes. Not glib, this book manages to paint a vivid picture of people and medical ideas without taking any shortcuts. A tremendous and really entertaining achievement which may sadly be overlooked in the trend towards simple blockbusters. You will be recommending it to others.

Take heart
This book is a stunning achievement: it makes obscure and confusing science understandable, and discusses with accuracy and compassion the many different aspects of Gulf War Syndrome. I found that Wheelwright's voice, always confident and clear, was greatly reassuring. Very powerful. A must read for those interested in science, medicine and politics, and how they overlap. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Persian Gulf syndrome   2. Case studies   3. Etiology   4. Military Medicine   5. Medical / Nursing   6. Medical   7. Diseases - General   8. Epidemiology   9. Public Health   10. Current Affairs   11. General   12. Bargain   

Subjects:  1. Diseases   2. Medical / Nursing   3. Military   4. Military Science   5. Persian Gulf syndrome   6. Pesticides   7. Technology   

Subjects:  1. Diseases   2. Infectious Diseases   3. Medical   4. Medical / Nursing   5. Persian Gulf syndrome   

Subjects:  1. History   2. History - Military / War   3. History: American   4. Military - General   

Subjects:  1. Afghanistan   2. Asia   3. Foreign Relations 1990-   4. History   5. History - Military / War   6. Military - General   7. Politics/International Relations   8. Soviet occupation, 1979-1989   9. History / Military / General