Progress on burn pits, but where is accountability?

I applaud Congress on finally passing legislation to deal with veterans’ health issues related to burn pits and their service in the Middle East. It is also noteworthy that they included veterans that had similar issues going back many decades as far back as the Vietnam era. It is shameful that it has taken so long to address many of these issues for our veterans.

What neither Congress nor the administration is talking about is responsibility and accountability for how this situation of utilizing burn pits continued for decades. Both Secretary of Defense Austin and Joint Chief Milley had senior command positions in the Middle East in the past two decades. The military commanders during this period should have to answer to Congress and the American people for this environmental and terrible health-related process. The military spends hundreds of billions of dollars on sophisticated equipment but burns hazardous waste in open pits, exposing the military, civilians and the environment to the effluent.

The president believes his son’s health issues were due to this process. If so, why is he not pursuing accountability for this happening? It seems like the government never admits responsibility. They are quick to go after corporations or private entities for health and environmental issues with great fanfare but rarely acknowledges its own responsibility and accountability. No one is fired, no one is indicted. The federal government continues to be one of the largest polluters in the country. The US taxpayers continue to foot the bill. Why is the media not raising the alarm?

Tom Mathis
Woolwich