European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 12, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Gulf gis tops in health main troublemakers were lettuce sandfly by Christopher b. Daly special to the Washington Post Boston a the . Troops who fought the persian Gulf War were the Healthiest fighting Force Ever put into the Field by the United states Ana perhaps by any country according to military health officials. With some notable exceptions the troops of operation desert storm were largely free of the kind of bites diseases and parasites that have slowed weakened and even Defeated armies throughout history. Indeed there has not been a single documented Case of a . Military fatality due to any illness that can be blamed on the Gulf environment military doctors said. In Many units according to experts the greatest health threat proved to be lettuce. At a conference of the american society of tropical Medicine and Hygiene Navy physicians shared the latest findings i the n a a a a a a in Boston this week a panel of army and \ intr _ on the medical Impact of War on the Hal million or so troops who saw duty in the Gulf Region. A we had what appears to be the lowest disease incidence of a Field army in history a said army col. James d. A a Dave Bales a command surgeon on the staff of now retired Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf who commanded desert storm forces. Perhaps the most troubling health consequence of the War involves a Little known parasitic disease called vice Retro Pic leishmaniasis pronounced Leash Nuh nyx us Sis. There have been seven confirmed cases of the disease a carried by a sandfly a which prompted the military recently to order All returning troops not to donate blood until the health risk can be assessed. Army maj. Alan Magill of Walter Reed Hospital described leishmaniasis As a rare disease usually marked by High fever although some people can contract the disease and show no symptoms. He said the natural history of the infection is still not understood although experts believe that it has been present in the Mideast since biblical times. Magill said the seven patients have recovered after being Given intravenous doses of the Antibiotic pen Tostan but he acknowledged that it was still unclear see gis on Page 22 More republics to join slavic Alliance Moscow apr russian president Boris n. Yeltsin said wednesday that the republics of Armenia and Kirghizia have agreed to join the Commonwealth that was formed Over the weekend by the three slavic republics. Russia byelorussian and the Ukraine on sunday declared the soviet Union dead and announced they were forming a Commonwealth to replace it. Speaking with reporters Yeltsin also said the republics of Kazakhstan Kadzhi Kristan and turkmen a would decide today whether to join. Earlier Yeltsin met with military commanders to try to win their support for the new Commonwealth and indicated the officers left reassured. The meeting came Only a Day after soviet president Mikhail s. Gorbachev tried to gauge the military a loyalty to his disintegrating soviet Union. Yeltsin a office refused comment on his meeting with the military brass held behind closed doors at the soviet defense ministry. But a ministry spokesman was quoted As telling the Tass news Agency that Yeltsin reassured them a and the world Community a that he favors unified control Over the superpowers 2.7 million soldiers and 27,000 nuclear warheads. It was not Clear whether Yeltsin meant control would remain in the hands of Gorbachev a government or the Commonwealth which has claimed control Over military policy. Russia byelorussian the Ukraine and Kazakhstan All hold soviet nuclear weapons. A there can be no question about any division of the armed forces. The world Public need have no worry about it a it. Gen. Valery Manilov quoted Yeltsin As telling the meeting according to Tass. The news Agency revealed wednesday that the beleaguered Gorbachev met with the same military commanders tuesday to discuss a military structures in the rapidly disintegrating soviet Union. Yeltsin Stop Deputy Gennady Burbulis said tuesday see Alliance on Page 2 customers plagued by chronic food shortages appear grim As they wait in line tuesday at a state store in Moscow. Inside today s paper w a stars and a stars and stripes Magazine new role approved for dec defense group by William Tuohy the los Angeles times maastricht Netherlands a european Community leaders at the Summit meeting tuesday agreed on a new Security role for their political Union a move designed to Calm american fears about a separate european defense Force. In the defense Section of the treaty of maastricht the leaders designated the nine nation Security group known As the Western european Union As the eco a defense Arm. But officials emphasized that the Union would not supplant the venerable North Atlantic treaty organization which has guarded the peace in Europe for More than 40 years. The Western european Union the agreement said would a elaborate and implement decisions and actions of the new european Union created in principle Here tuesday. But the document also stipulated that the role of the Western european Union be a a compatible with that of nato. Military forces allotted to nato serve under their various National commands except in wartime when they Are passed Over to nato control. A British Diplomat in maastricht said the Western european unions new role will consist chiefly of maintaining a staff that could prepare military contingency operations that the 12-Membcr dec might wish to undertake outside the nato area for example in Yugoslavia. A we must get away from the idea that the Western european Union is a standing army a a senior Diplomat in maastricht said. A it would Only have forces put under its jurisdiction when its planning staff made decisions on request from the  another official added a it is import see econ Page 2 a bit of Bohemia Britain s Peak National Park