Since the first media reports about Gulf War illnesses in autumn 1991, veterans have battled for their symptoms to be recognised as a specific, Gulf War-related syndrome.

Veteran Shaun Rusling has led the fight for recognition of "Gulf War Syndrome" in the UK "I feel extremely bitter" Gulf War veteran Tim Pitman talks to the BBC's Jane Standley

The main problems they report are chronic fatigue, headaches, confusion, joint and muscle pain, nausea, swollen glands and fevers.

The debate has been punctuated by a flurry of reports giving evidence and counter-evidence about their claims.

Some blame the vaccines soldiers were given to protect them against chemical and biological weapons.

Others point to depleted uranium weapons and organophosphate insecticides used to protect troops from mites and other insects.

Rebuttals have said statistics simply do not bear out claims that veterans have abnormally high levels of illness, or have blamed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, a psychological response to trauma.

The British Ministry of Defence says that in some cases “there is a clear link with service in the Gulf”, but does not recognise Gulf War Syndrome as a single medical condition.

The Pentagon says that research has “not validated any specific cause of these illnesses”.