Guest guest Posted October 25, 2002 Report 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
Guest guest Posted October 25, 2002 Report 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
Guest guest Posted October 25, 2002 Report 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
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