The mosquito can be more dangerous than the mortar round: the obligations of command
- 2005
In Liberia in 2003, eighty out of 290 U.S. Marines who had been inserted in the country experienced symptoms of Malaria. This was a forceful reminder of the need for effective precautions against insect and waterborne diseases that are endemic in many parts of the world. This article argues that the risks posed by such diseases must be understood, and precautionary measures implemented throughout the chain of command. Notes that the same lessons learned by the British Army in Burma in the Second World War have been ignored or forgotten.