The Burning Pits by Joseph Hickman (2016) - How Trash Poisoned U.S Troops in Iraq

Sad state of affairs. Military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan were built on contaminated ground. Remnants of mustard gas and chemical weapons poisoned civilians in Iraq and American troops. KBR a subsidiary of Halliburton a U.S company who was paid billions by the U.S government courtesy of the tax-payer caused mass fatalities. KBR operated 'the burn pits' that burnt all the U.S armies trash in open fire dug out holes. The trash pits burnt 24/7 and the poisonous plume started causing severe respiratory problems. Soldiers and civilians lungs were all irrevocably and unnecessarily damaged leading to mass cancer outbreaks and disability. This all happened because KBR and Halliburton operated the "the burn pits" with no regard for any form of regulations or testing. 

The plume smoke and the ground dug up for the trash pits was never monitored or tested for carcinogens or adverse health affects. One particular sad story is about a very young soldier who was posted in Iraq. He complained to his commanding officers about the smoke affecting his battalion form the burning of U.S trash and was rubbished. He stood in a guard post tower for 365 days 12 hours a day. He never saw any rebels. But the poisonous smoke from the burning trash pits would cause him great distress everyday. His lungs would splutter and his throat would become inflamed and feel like it was on fire. After ending his monotonous tour of duty 2 years later he died of brain cancer with full blown respiratory problems. He had never had any bad health until shipping out to Iraq. He is one of thousands of soldiers termed 'delayed casualties' who die after going to war. He received no help or financial aid from the U.S government and the VA who help veterans with health problems. 

The U.S government has not yet acknowledged how it killed and maimed its own soldiers by allowing KBR to win the trash disposal contract without any competition. Meanwhile in Iraq the cancer tolls increased by 15% due to the invasion and war on terror killing thousands due to magnesium and dangerous chemicals burnt in the pits and breathed in by citizens. Iraqi nationals are to scared to have children now due to birth defects on a scale dwarfing Japan's problems from the fallout from the atomic bombs. Good read. Had no idea about this problem. War is never just in my opinion. Especially when the ones signing the bills into law do not fight in the wars they create. Currently only a 5th of the U.S senate have any military experience, and only 1% of U.S politicians children are fighting in American wars currently.