Gassed in the Gulf: The Inside Story of the Pentagon-CIA Cover-up of Gulf War Syndrome [Paperback]

Patrick Eddington (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2000

Eddingtons book comes off as a well-written, well-documented account of what happens when a CIA employee rocks the boat. It raises concerns that go beyond Desert Storm, a fear that the CIA has given up its independence form the Pentagon.The Birmingham News, 7/13/97

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Eddington, a former CIA analyst who now describes himself as a "public activist," has written two books in one. The first seeks to reveal what the author claims is a "conspiracy" and "duplicity" by high-level officials aimed at denying that U.S. forces were exposed to chemical agents during the Gulf War. The second argues that the author and his wife were the target of an "unofficial...blackballing" that eventually led to their resignations from the CIA. Unfortunately, both stories are so contaminated with emotional language that it becomes hard to separate fact from feeling. Although the book is heavily footnoted, some parts are personal reminiscences subject to debate. Eddington delights in taking on senior government and military officers, naming names (sometimes only initials), and pointing accusing fingers while staking a claim to the moral high ground. The reader is left confused: Was Gulf War syndrome the result of incompetence? Or is it a tale poisoned by the scent of the author's personal vendetta? An optional purchase.?John J. Yurechko, Georgetown Univ., Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"Levels tough indictments...Pat and Robin Eddington are true patriots." -- Matt Puglisi: Assistant Director, Persian Gulf War Era Veterans, The American Legion

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Product Details

• Paperback: 383 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse; An Authors Guild Backinprint.com Ed edition (June 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595092012
• ISBN-13: 978-0595092017
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,254,736 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Telling it like it is, June 10, 2000

By 

Fred (Columbus, Ga.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gassed in the Gulf: The Inside Story of the Pentagon-CIA Cover-Up of Gulf War Syndrome (Hardcover)

I have just finished reading the book Gassed in the Gulf and it is the only one that I have found that telles like it happened. I do not know where the person from Ohio was but I was in the Gulf 90-91. Even the DOD said that it was not a sonic boom over our camp at Al Jubyl. Not when within 20 seconds of the explosion your face goes numb (Page 73 of book that was me, Fred Willoughby The book is right on what happened. It is well told andd the CIA and DOD are still doing all they can to keep this from becoming a big seller. It should be mandatory reading for everyone thinking about going into the service. Really enjoyed the book. Thank you Pat Eddington for trying to help us Vets.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Responding to the review by Mr. Columbus Ohio., October 21, 2000

By 

Gulf War Veteran (South Dakota, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gassed in the Gulf: The Inside Story of the Pentagon-CIA Cover-Up of Gulf War Syndrome (Hardcover)

Dear Readers,

I urge you to read this book if you are truly concerned about this issue and then get the Senate Committee book indicated at the end of this review. I grew up in Ohio as well as the other reviewer and I can tell you and especially him that he is wrong. I spent 17 months hospitalized after being "gassed in the gulf" and medevacced out unconscious to Germany following a total body seizure and over 6 hours of loss of consciousness. The 12 eyewitness written accounts of what had happened to me were gathered by my Brigade Commander and he included a personal statement that accompanied my medevac file. That portion of the file was sealed and CLASSIFIED was written over its outer jacket. I personally saw over 300 seriously wounded long term nerve gas related patients come in and out of the research ward of one of the military's largest hospitals for over one year. I didn't even recognize my own wife at 2 months after the medevac and could barely speak. Mr. Clueless from Columbus may believe whatever bull Schwarzkopf or any General wants to feed him, but it will never dispute the true eyewitness facts of that war that have rarely been told. In fact many of us now retired army and marine disabled veterans from the Gulf question whether he even received the reports of chemical contamination or whether he wanted greater confirmation due to the relatively low number of serious nerve agent injuries. Columbus should know how the military works and how reporting up the chain of command sometimes gets turned around right on top of you because most careerists are too worried about their ratings to report anything negative to, for example, a Brigade level commander. YOU MUST REMEMBER, the Media was under complete military control during the Gulf War. Had they been with the Saudi unit I was with they would have seen a number of serious injuries in verified areas of chemical detection--that were verified by the Select Senate Committee in eyewitness testimony from Americans and Foriegn Coalition NCO's and Officers--just like the book indicates. If Mr. Columbus wants to keep on believing his own version due to his prior service visits to the local N.B.C. chemical training chamber he can do so without remorse and continue on with his merry life. If Mr. Columbus cares about the truth and wants the real facts and not just from this book, he should write his Senator and get the following factual 160 page testimony and then he can repeal his bogus words and review:

U.S. Chemical and Biological Warfare-Related Dual Use Exports to Iraq and Their Possible Impact on the Health Consequences of the Persian Gulf War. A report of Chairman Donald Riegle, and Ranking Member Alfonse D'Amato, United States Senate, May 25, 1994.

In fact, please send me another copy for one of my disabled friends so that I can give it to him for his pending lawsuit.

By the way, if any of you are concerned, the Veteran's Administration and their hospitals have done a lot of really excellent work with sick veterans and does not believe the released Army and CIA reports from the war. Go see them if you need any help and don't take no for an answer.

By the way Mr. Columbus, the Army is paying me one hell of a lot of money for the rest of my life for what happened. Unfortunately that is the only Admission they will ever make of what really happened over there and YOU end up paying for it.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Of Fierce Compassion and Gritty Integrity, June 17, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Gassed in the Gulf: The Inside Story of the Pentagon-CIA Cover-Up of Gulf War Syndrome (Hardcover)

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!<P