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2004-04-17 Iraq-Jordan
U.S. General Nearly Faints at Podium
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Posted by Steve White 2004-04-17 3:03:52 PM|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07]  Top

#1 Dehydration has done it to me before.
Posted by eLarson 2004-04-17 3:13:09 PM||   2004-04-17 3:13:09 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 Probably listening to the same stupid questions and looking into the vacant faces of the same idiotic reporters, day after day after day.. That would do it for me.
Posted by Mr. Davis 2004-04-17 3:29:09 PM||   2004-04-17 3:29:09 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 Maybe a little "Saddam's Revenge" from the water.
Posted by Dar  2004-04-17 3:33:39 PM||   2004-04-17 3:33:39 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 Maybe being forced to fight a State Department war, is taking its toll. Foggy Bottom allowed the Mahdi Army exclusive patrol privileges in large sections of northern Baghdad, and indulged al-Sadr when he made last year's trip to visit Iranian stringpullers like Rafsanjani.

If you want troop morale to collapse, then impose suicidal rules of engagement on them.
Posted by Man Bites Dog 2004-04-17 3:40:05 PM||   2004-04-17 3:40:05 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 " Maybe being forced to fight a State Department war, is taking its toll. Foggy Bottom allowed the Mahdi Army exclusive patrol privileges in large sections of northern Baghdad"--
And you know this...how exactly? I'm no fan of the State Dept. but I'm not buying this.
"and indulged al-Sadr when he made last year's trip to visit Iranian stringpullers like Rafsanjani.
I might give you this one if it's true, but I don't see State as having any clout in CPA-administered Iraq. That would have been Bremer.

If you want troop morale to collapse, then impose suicidal rules of engagement on them.
Troop morale isn't collapsing, only poor, tired and hot Gen. Kimmit.
The "suicidal rules of engagement" are, from the best that I can determine, there because we're trying not to alienate the 80%+ percent of the Iraqi population that like us and want a free Iraq by killing them along with the bad guys.
Posted by Jen  2004-04-17 4:13:50 PM|| [http://www.greatestjeneration.com]  2004-04-17 4:13:50 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 Fainting spells are surprisingly common. The medical term is "neurally mediated vaso-vagal syncope". Which is a long winded way of saying the vagal nervous system can occassionally get the upper hand over heart rate and shut it down cold, leading to precipitous loss of blood pressure in the brain, and then fainting with a collapse to the ground. I don't think anyone fully understands why it happens--but dehydration and stress definitely appear to be associated with it. Full blown incident can look a lot like an epileptic seizure with some muscle jerking while the body goes through a reboot procedure to get the heart going again. Can be alarming to bystanders, but assuming you aren't operating machinery, it's generally harmless.
Posted by Classical_Liberal 2004-04-17 5:20:44 PM||   2004-04-17 5:20:44 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 I try to avoid dehydration and extreme stress when flying my plane. Rough on the insurance rates....

On a serious note, I magine General Kimmitt, like any good marine, has been putting his heart and soul into the mission. I hope that he takes better care of himself. The marines are doing the dirty work so we all can live peaceful and meaningful lives, if we choose to do so.
Posted by Alaska Paul 2004-04-17 5:43:44 PM||   2004-04-17 5:43:44 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 The top U.S. military spokesman in Iraq, Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, appeared to briefly lose consciousness during a news conference. He left the room for a period but returned smiling and answered more questions. The military said Kimmitt was worn out from the flu.

Link
Posted by Parabellum  2004-04-17 7:54:29 PM||   2004-04-17 7:54:29 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 Dehydration. Happens all the time to recruits in boot camp who dont drink enough water. He's under stress, in the heat, and on his feet too long. All he needed to do was lock his knees and over he went.
Posted by OldSpook 2004-04-17 8:42:48 PM||   2004-04-17 8:42:48 PM|| Front Page Top

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17:46 Shipman
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02:19 Not Mike Moore
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00:30 Lucky
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