Whenever you feel like reaching for your ever-precious and ever-present cigar accessories, you have to consider smoke-related news from the men and women in Iraq. Yes, the Americans that the George W. Bush administration sent to fight his war on terrorism. Well, okay. It’s not really just Bush’s war but with him as figurehead, you will be excused if you think along the same lines. But I digress.

The acrid smoke coming from the junk heap at the Balad Air Force Base in Iraq causes concern among the returning troops. As well as it should be. You can just imagine the health hazards of burning medical wastes, human remains, plastic residues, and other modern junk put to fire with jet fuel! If cigarettes can cause damage with its single ingredient of tobacco leaves, how much more damage can all that induce?

To cite the complaints of some of the returning troops, the health problems encountered range from respiratory problems like chronic cough to cancer issues like brain tumor. Of course, the denial of the US military regarding the long-term health effects of the junk pits is par for the course. After all, this is the establishment that has a long history of denials to save face.

If you care to analyze the situation, you will scoff at the irony of it all. Here is the mighty United States of America fighting a war against terrorism while it dumps on the host country terrorism of another kind – environmental terrorism.

But since these topics are hotbeds of political dissent and discussion, let’s detour to the health effects on our American brothers and sisters. The smoke that the junk pits emit into the air will be inhaled by our troops, masks notwithstanding. It cannot be denied that anything and everything inhaled by our frail human lungs will alter them, including our psyche. And if you don’t believe that, how about becoming a fart inhaler?

Aw, come on. Even the Surgeon General says something akin to it, in case you haven’t noticed the warning labels on cigarette boxes about smoking being dangerous to your health. How come the acrid smoke from ‘em burn pits are not dangerous?

Well, before the Washington higher-ups find themselves with a health epidemic on their hands, it is only right that they take the necessary and appropriate steps to protect our troops from the burn pits. They deserve it for all the service to country that they render.