Smoking Gun: Uranium Found in Iraq!
 

http://www.nuclearpolicy.org/DUSymposium.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2946715.stm

At best, I have seen mixed reports on the long term effects of DU projectiles on the immediate environment. I would like to see someone do an objective long term study that is more definitive before I take a position.

Here's a handy tip to everybody who doesn't want to deal with DU polluting their backyard:

DON'T MAKE US COME OVER THERE.

DU are very nasty Shells, much more weight than lead,

no smoking gun here, just a lot o smoke and mirrors

arent we the only nation that uses those?

Obviously not, if you read the quote in the first post. :)

"US and British tanks use DU shells and armour"

I think its great, bad Iraqis glowing in the dark, makes it easier to shoot them.

That is the whole point, no one knows what the radioactive substance in such a quantity can do.

Guardian Unlimited's various reports about DU:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uranium/


http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/95178_du12.shtml

[ralph wiggum]
We're environmentally responsible!
[/ralph wiggum]

Take that, innocent Iraqi citizens! Hope you don't hold it against us for generations to come!

Next smoking gun: Aluminum cans found in Iraqi trashcan.

Lebell, I'm using Academic Search Elite and haven't found a study on depleted uranium that doesn't question its harmful effects. These are all peer-reviewed journals. The British Medical Journal and the Lancet are premier medical journals (they outrank many of our journels in the medical and academic world)

I'm not going to post the full texts (there are 29 articles and I can't due to copyright issues); if anyone is interested here are the citations:

Title:
Royal Society warns of risks from depleted uranium.
Subject(s):
URANIUM; PERSIAN Gulf War, 1991; MILITARY supplies; GREAT Britain. -- Ministry of Defense; GREAT Britain
Source:
BMJ: British Medical Journal, 5/3/2003, Vol. 326 Issue 7396, p952, 1/2p, 1c
Author(s):
Moszynski, Peter
Abstract:
Reports that the Royal Society warned that urgent attention must be paid to the health and environmental consequences from the depleted uranium used in many of the munitions fired in Iraq. Call for a scientific assessment of sites struck with depleted uranium weapons, the immediate distribution of guidelines to minimize the risk of exposure, and the need to clean up remnants; Belief of the Ministry of Defense that the effects of depleted uranium are strictly localized; Estimation of the amount of depleted uranium that was fired in the 1991 Gulf War.

---------------

Title:
Depleted uranium blamed for Iraq cancer explosion.
Subject(s):
ABNORMALITIES, Human; CHILDREN; IRAQ
Source:
Ecologist, Apr2003, Vol. 33 Issue 3, p7, 1/8p
Abstract:
Reports that Iraqi children are seven times more likely to be born with leukemia or birth malformations than before the Gulf War, according to a research. Factor blamed for the rise in the number of children with birth malformations; Increase in the incidence of congenital malformations per 1,000 births in the city of Basra, Iraq in 2001.

---------------

Title:
Depleted uranium: a new battlefield hazard.
Subject(s):
URANIUM; BATTLEFIELDS; TOXIC substance exposure; URANIUM -- Environmental aspects; POISONS
Source:
Lancet, 12/21/2002 Supplement, Vol. 360 Issue 9350, ps31, 2p, 2c, 1bw
Author(s):
Murray, Virginia S G; Bailey, Michael R; Spratt, Brian G
Abstract:
Discusses depleted uranium as a battlefield hazard. What depleted uranium is and how it is used on the battlefield; Behavior of uranium in the body; Environmental concerns.

--------------

Title:
Caring for Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms after Toxic Environmental Exposures: Effects of Contested Causation.
Subject(s):
SYNDROMES; URANIUM
Source:
Environmental Health Perspectives Supplements, Aug2002, Vol. 110 Issue 4, p641, 7p, 4 diagrams
Author(s):
Engel Jr., Charles C.; Adkins, Joyce A.; Cowan, David N.
Abstract:
Medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) are persistent idiopathic symptoms that drive patients to seek medical care. MUPS syndromes include chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia syndrome, and multiple chemical sensitivities. When MUPS occur after an environmental exposure or injury, an adversarial social context that we call “contested causation” may ensue. Contested causation may occur publicly and involve media controversy, scientific disagreement, political debate, and legal struggles. This adversarial social context may diminish the effectiveness of the provider — patient relationship. Contested causation also may occur privately, when disagreement over the causes of MUPS takes place in the patient — provider context. These patient — provider disagreements over causation often occur because of the enigmatic nature of MUPS. We suggest that a context of contested causation may have serious negative effects on healthcare for individuals with MUPS. Context plays a larger role in MUPS care than it does for most medical care because of the uncertain nature of MUPS, the reliance of standard MUPS therapies on a potentially tenuous patient — provider partnership, and the clinical need to rely routinely on subjective MUPS assessments that often yield discordant patient and provider conclusions. Contested causation may erode patient — provider trust, test the provider's self-assurance and capacity to share power with the patient, and raise problematic issues of compensation, reparation, and blame. These issues may distract patients and providers from therapeutic goals. In occupational and military settings, the adverse impact of contested causation on the patient — provider partnership may diminish therapeutic effectiveness to a greater degree than it does in other medical settings. Contested causation therefore raises questions regarding generalizability of standard therapies for MUPS and related syndromes to...[ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sigh, this'll end up like every other vile little toxin that's ever been touted by those who think with their wallets and their dicks.

It'll be another 3 wars at least before the wise ones decide that MAYBE it's not a good idea.

What about the children and innocent people? (vast majority). Or are none of the Iraqi's innocent in your book?

United States of America 2003: Spreading their freedom and enviromental policies around the world.

I think you left "for" out of that sentence. It takes on an amusing meaning without that word.

(troll mode)
What about them?
(/troll mode)

Isn't the use of DU one of the suspected causes of Gulf War Syndrome?

It was, but now researchers are finding similar symptoms in Afghanistan--where DU reportedly wasn't used.

Now there is growing speculation that the US forces are using classified weapons that are radioactive.

Hey thanks Kadath, it really does have an amusing meaning that way:D

You should add a comma still, ie. For those who fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.

Hey, can I join in the degradation of the thread? :D

You should use "e.g." (for example) rather than "i.e." (that is).

/grammatical tirade

at least were not using uranium shells, they weigh even more and have a lot more kick

I would hesitate to criticize that use of i.e., since he did show where the comma would go. It wasn't an example of where you could put a comma.
Take that, thread!