TRUMP CALLS IRAN BOMBARDMENT CONCUSSIONS HEADACHES SAYS THEY ARE NOT REAL INJURIES
Trump downplays seriousness of injuries in Iran attack after US soldiers treated for concussions
BY BRETT SAMUELS - 01/22/20
PRIVATE BONE-SPURS
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President Trump on Wednesday minimized the injuries of several U.S. troops who suffered concussions during an Iranian missile attack on two Iraqi bases that house American personnel.
"I heard that they headaches and a couple of other things, but I would say and I can report that it’s not very serious," Trump told reporters at a press conference in Davos, Switzerland.
"I don’t consider them very serious injuries relative to other injuries that I’ve seen," he continued. "I’ve seen what Iran has done with their roadside bombs to our troops… I’ve seen people that were horribly, horribly injured in that area, in that war.
"No, I do not consider that to be bad injuries, no," he added, referring to the soldiers who were taken for treatment last week.
President Trump is asked about the Americans troops that were injured in the Iran missile attacks on bases in Iraq last week after previously saying that no Americans were injured. #WEF2020 https://t.co/88r3VMcJe9 pic.twitter.com/oxx0IdkZIP— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) January 22, 2020
The president declared earlier this month that there were no casualties after Iran fired missiles at the bases housing U.S. forces on Jan. 8. But the Pentagon last week revealed 11 U.S. troops were evacuated from Iraq and taken to hospitals in Germany and Kuwait for treatment for concussions suffered during attack on Al Asad Air Base.
The Associated Press reported Tuesday night that additional U.S. troops were flown to Germany for closer evaluation for similar injuries, though the exact number was not known.
The Iranian missile attack came as a direct response to a U.S. drone strike that killed top Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani. The two countries appeared to step back from the brink of military conflict in the wake of the attacks, though tensions remain.
The Trump administration has faced intense pressure from lawmakers in both parties about its justification for the strike that killed Soleimani. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo initially said the general posed an "imminent threat" to American lives, and Trump later said he was targeted four U.S. embassies. But officials have struggled to justify both explanations.
The House passed a resolution earlier this month to rein in Trump's war powers with regards to Iran, and a similar Senate resolution appears to have the votes needed to pass.
MORE U.S. troops leave Iraq for medical treatment after Iranian missile attack, Pentagon says
Dan Lamothe
Slideshow by photo services
More U.S. service members have been transported out of Iraq for medical treatment and evaluations following Iran’s missile attack on military facilities there, the Pentagon said Tuesday, nearly two weeks after President Trump and defense officials initially said no one was hurt.
The Pentagon said Friday that 11 service members were transported out of Iraq for treatment and assessments. U.S. military officials declined to say on Tuesday how many more are receiving care but said “additional” troops had been sent to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.
The officials left open the possibility that the number could increase in coming days.
“The health and safety of all service members is the greatest concern for all Department leadership and we greatly appreciate the care that these members have received and continue to receive at the hands of our medical professionals," U.S. Central Command said in a statement. “As medical treatment and evaluations in theater continue, additional service members have been identified as having potential injuries.”
The statement continued: "These service members -- out of an abundance of caution -- have been transported to Landstuhl, Germany for further evaluations and necessary treatment on an outpatient basis. Given the nature of injuries already noted, it is possible additional injuries may be identified in the future.”
The statement did not address the condition of the first 11 service members transported out of Iraq, and U.S. defense officials said Tuesday evening that they did not have more information about them to share.
© Qassim Abdul-Zahra/AP U.S. soldiers stand at a spot hit by Iranian missiles at Ain al-Asad air base in Iraq days after the Jan. 8 attack. (Qassim Abdul-Zahra/AP)The injuries surfaced after Iranian forces launched 11 missiles on Jan. 8 at Ain al-Asad air base west of Baghdad and one into the northern city of Irbil in retaliation for the U.S. killing of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, who U.S. officials say was connected to the deaths of hundreds of U.S. troops over the last 20 years. More than 1,000 U.S. service members were at Al Asad at the time of the attack, U.S. defense officials have said.
The barrage left deep craters and charred wreckage in several locations on the Iraqi base. U.S. officials initially said no service members were killed or wounded, and signaled that the United States was not looking for additional armed conflict with Iran.
“No Americans were harmed in last night’s attack by the Iranian regime. We suffered no casualties. All of our soldiers are safe, and only minimal damage was sustained at our military bases,” Trump said soon after the attack.
But concussion-like symptoms -- which sometimes do not manifest themselves immediately -- have prompted an increasing amount of medical attention.
On Jan. 13, military officials at Al Asad told The Washington Post that “dozens” of service members were suffering from concussion-like symptoms. Jonathan Hoffman, the chief Pentagon spokesman, said Friday that the first three left on a regularly scheduled flight to Camp Arifjan in Kuwait on Jan. 10.
Eight more American service members left on another regularly scheduled flight to Landstuhl on Jan. 15. Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper was notified of the 11 patients that day, and defense officials disclosed the treatment that day, Hoffman said. Defense One first reported the evacuations that night.
Hoffman said Friday that Trump’s remarks to the nation the morning after the attack were “accurate," and reflected "truthful information that he received.” Initial reporting from U.S. commanders in Iraq to the Pentagon said no Americans had suffered loss of life, limb or eyesight, following Defense Department reporting requirements, he said.
The barrage left deep craters and charred wreckage in several locations on the Iraqi base. U.S. officials initially said no service members were killed or wounded, and signaled that the United States was not looking for additional armed conflict with Iran.
“No Americans were harmed in last night’s attack by the Iranian regime. We suffered no casualties. All of our soldiers are safe, and only minimal damage was sustained at our military bases,” Trump said soon after the attack.
But concussion-like symptoms -- which sometimes do not manifest themselves immediately -- have prompted an increasing amount of medical attention.
On Jan. 13, military officials at Al Asad told The Washington Post that “dozens” of service members were suffering from concussion-like symptoms. Jonathan Hoffman, the chief Pentagon spokesman, said Friday that the first three left on a regularly scheduled flight to Camp Arifjan in Kuwait on Jan. 10.
Eight more American service members left on another regularly scheduled flight to Landstuhl on Jan. 15. Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper was notified of the 11 patients that day, and defense officials disclosed the treatment that day, Hoffman said. Defense One first reported the evacuations that night.
Hoffman said Friday that Trump’s remarks to the nation the morning after the attack were “accurate," and reflected "truthful information that he received.” Initial reporting from U.S. commanders in Iraq to the Pentagon said no Americans had suffered loss of life, limb or eyesight, following Defense Department reporting requirements, he said.
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WHAT THEY CALL CONCUSSION OR SERIOUS BRAIN TRAUMA WAS ONCE KNOWN AS SHELL SHOCK AND LAST CENTURY DURING THE BIG ONE WWI IT WAS AN EXECUTABLE OFFENSE ON THE BATTLEFRONT FOR COWARDICE
SEE https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/search?q=WWI
SEE https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/search?q=SHELL+SHOCK
SEE https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/search?q=BATTLE+FATIGUE
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