"Gulf War syndrome" is real according to report to Congress

The Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses, a committee of 15 veterans and scientists appointed to study the neurological complaints of 1991 Gulf War veterans, reported their conclusion to Congress, contradicting almost two decades of prior governmental claims.  The Committee pointed, in particular, to two widespread chemical exposures as likely culprits:  widely used pesticides to combat sand flies and other pests, and pyridostigmine, used to protect against nerve gas.  The scientists on this committee claim that prior studies reached contradictory conclusions because the VA inappropriately restricted the prior studies to scant human research and refused to allow scientists to consider extensive animal research.