Guest guest Posted October 25, 2002 Report Share Posted October 25, 2002 > The Spoils of War > > > By Helen Caldicott, October 6, 2002 (Editorial > published in the Baltimore Sun) > > NEW YORK -- As the Bush administration prepares to > make war on the Iraqi > people -- for it is the civilian population of that > country and not Saddam > Hussein who will bear the brunt of the hostilities > -- it is important that > we recall the medical consequences of the last > Persian Gulf war. It was, in > effect, a nuclear war. > > By the end of that 1991 conflict, the United States > left between 300 and > 800 tons of depleted uranium 238 in anti-tank shells > and other explosives > on the battlefields of Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi > Arabia. > > The term " depleted " refers to the removal of the > fissionable element > uranium 235 through a process that ironically is > called " enrichment. " What > remains, uranium 238, is 1.7 times more dense than > lead. When incorporated > into an anti-tank shell and fired, it achieves great > momentum, cutting > through tank armor like a hot knife through butter. > > What other properties does uranium 238 possess? > > First, it is pyrophoric. When it hits a tank at high > speed, it bursts into > flames, producing aerosolized particles less than 5 > microns in diameter, > making them easy to inhale into the terminal air > passages of the lung. > > Second, it is a potent radioactive carcinogen, > emitting a relatively heavy > alpha particle composed of two protons and two > neutrons. Once inside the > body -- either in the lung if it has been inhaled, > in a wound if it > penetrates flesh, or ingested since it concentrates > in the food chain and > contaminates water -- it can produce cancer in the > lungs, bones, blood or > kidneys. > > Third, it has a half-life of 4.5 billion years, > meaning the areas in which > this ammunition was used in Iraq and Kuwait will > remain effectively > radioactive for the rest of time. > > Children are 10 to 20 times more sensitive to the > effects of radiation than > adults. My fellow pediatricians in the Iraqi city of > Basra, for example, > report an increase of six to 12 times in the > incidence of childhood > leukemia and cancer. Yet because of the sanctions > imposed on Iraq by the > United States and the United Nations, they have no > access to antibiotics, > chemotherapeutic drugs or effective radiation > machines to treat their > patients. > > The incidence of congenital malformations has > doubled in the exposed > populations in Iraq where these weapons were used. > Among them are babies > being born with only one eye and with anencephaly -- > the absence of a > brain. > > However, the medical consequences of the use of > uranium 238 almost > certainly did not affect only Iraqis. Some American > veterans exposed to it > are reported, by at least one medical researcher, to > be excreting uranium > in their urine a decade later. Other reports > indicate it is being excreted > in their semen. > > That nearly one-third of the American tanks used in > Desert Storm were made > of uranium 238 is another story, for their crews > were exposed to whole body > gamma radiation. What might be the long-term > consequences of such exposure > has not, apparently, been studied. > > Would these effects have surprised U.S. authorities? > No, for incredible as > it may seem, the American military's own studies > prior to Desert Storm > warned that aerosol uranium exposure under > battlefield conditions could > lead to cancers of the lung and bone, kidney damage, > non-malignant lung > disease, neurocognitive disorders, chromosomal > damage and birth defects. > > Do President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, > Deputy Defense Secretary > Paul Wolfowitz, National Security Adviser > Condoleezza Rice and Defense > Secretary Donald Rumsfeld understand the medical > consequences of the 1991 > war and the likely health effects of the next one > they are planning? > > If they don't, their ignorance is breathtaking. Even > more incredible, > though, and much more likely, is that they do > understand but don't care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 25, 2002 Report Share Posted October 25, 2002 well you know, oil IS the most efficient energy source... heh, I can't say that with a straight face. , EBbrewpunx@c... wrote: > but but but.. > we need that oil > as kissinger said > " oil is to important to be left with the arabs " > ah..humanity... > when can i get off this ride anyways? > > > " Josey " <cthulhu_23@h...> wrote: > > > > >> The Spoils of War > >> > >> > >> By Helen Caldicott, October 6, 2002 (Editorial > >> published in the Baltimore Sun) > >> > >> NEW YORK -- As the Bush administration prepares to > >> make war on the Iraqi > >> people -- for it is the civilian population of that > >> country and not Saddam > >> Hussein who will bear the brunt of the hostilities > >> -- it is important that > >> we recall the medical consequences of the last > >> Persian Gulf war. It was, in > >> effect, a nuclear war. > >> > >> By the end of that 1991 conflict, the United States > >> left between 300 and > >> 800 tons of depleted uranium 238 in anti-tank shells > >> and other explosives > >> on the battlefields of Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi > >> Arabia. > >> > >> The term " depleted " refers to the removal of the > >> fissionable element > >> uranium 235 through a process that ironically is > >> called " enrichment. " What > >> remains, uranium 238, is 1.7 times more dense than > >> lead. When incorporated > >> into an anti-tank shell and fired, it achieves great > >> momentum, cutting > >> through tank armor like a hot knife through butter. > >> > >> What other properties does uranium 238 possess? > >> > >> First, it is pyrophoric. When it hits a tank at high > >> speed, it bursts into > >> flames, producing aerosolized particles less than 5 > >> microns in diameter, > >> making them easy to inhale into the terminal air > >> passages of the lung. > >> > >> Second, it is a potent radioactive carcinogen, > >> emitting a relatively heavy > >> alpha particle composed of two protons and two > >> neutrons. Once inside the > >> body -- either in the lung if it has been inhaled, > >> in a wound if it > >> penetrates flesh, or ingested since it concentrates > >> in the food chain and > >> contaminates water -- it can produce cancer in the > >> lungs, bones, blood or > >> kidneys. > >> > >> Third, it has a half-life of 4.5 billion years, > >> meaning the areas in which > >> this ammunition was used in Iraq and Kuwait will > >> remain effectively > >> radioactive for the rest of time. > >> > >> Children are 10 to 20 times more sensitive to the > >> effects of radiation than > >> adults. My fellow pediatricians in the Iraqi city of > >> Basra, for example, > >> report an increase of six to 12 times in the > >> incidence of childhood > >> leukemia and cancer. Yet because of the sanctions > >> imposed on Iraq by the > >> United States and the United Nations, they have no > >> access to antibiotics, > >> chemotherapeutic drugs or effective radiation > >> machines to treat their > >> patients. > >> > >> The incidence of congenital malformations has > >> doubled in the exposed > >> populations in Iraq where these weapons were used. > >> Among them are babies > >> being born with only one eye and with anencephaly -- > >> the absence of a > >> brain. > >> > >> However, the medical consequences of the use of > >> uranium 238 almost > >> certainly did not affect only Iraqis. Some American > >> veterans exposed to it > >> are reported, by at least one medical researcher, to > >> be excreting uranium > >> in their urine a decade later. Other reports > >> indicate it is being excreted > >> in their semen. > >> > >> That nearly one-third of the American tanks used in > >> Desert Storm were made > >> of uranium 238 is another story, for their crews > >> were exposed to whole body > >> gamma radiation. What might be the long-term > >> consequences of such exposure > >> has not, apparently, been studied. > >> > >> Would these effects have surprised U.S. authorities? > >> No, for incredible as > >> it may seem, the American military's own studies > >> prior to Desert Storm > >> warned that aerosol uranium exposure under > >> battlefield conditions could > >> lead to cancers of the lung and bone, kidney damage, > >> non-malignant lung > >> disease, neurocognitive disorders, chromosomal > >> damage and birth defects. > >> > >> Do President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, > >> Deputy Defense Secretary > >> Paul Wolfowitz, National Security Adviser > >> Condoleezza Rice and Defense > >> Secretary Donald Rumsfeld understand the medical > >> consequences of the 1991 > >> war and the likely health effects of the next one > >> they are planning? > >> > >> If they don't, their ignorance is breathtaking. Even > >> more incredible, > >> though, and much more likely, is that they do > >> understand but don't care. > > > > > > > >To send an email to - > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 25, 2002 Report Share Posted October 25, 2002 just give em time to figure out to charge us fer air.. " Josey " <cthulhu_23 wrote: >well you know, oil IS the most efficient energy source... heh, I >can't say that with a straight face. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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