Depleted Uranium waste makes deadly ammunition

The US has approximately 550,000 tonnes of depleted uranium at its disposal. They, and others with there own supplies, have found a unique way of discarding this highly toxic radioactive waste. - they simply put it into armour piercing anti-tank shells, DU bullets, howitzer ammunition and cruise missiles. In the course of its newly found use, it has made a few military hardware manufacturers ecstatically happy. To the government it was useless and requires expensive storage facilities to safeguard the public -- It is the waste product from the production of nuclear bombs and from nuclear power plants. It's free of charge!

Depleted uranium (DU) weighs about twice as much as lead. When a shell containing DU hits a tank, or other target, it turns into a horrifically hot liquid. This liquid instantly melts armour-plating like a blast furnace. In the selfsame moment it vaporizes and releases radioactive toxic vapours and dust into the air.

The residents of many countries, and the unsuspecting soldiers who fought, or were Peacekeepers there, are at risk of developing liver damage and cancers (including leukemia) because of this insane use of DU. It is bad enough that people are killed in these conflicts but it is a worse injustice that the next generation also must suffer with mutations, cancers and irreversible birth defects through no actions of their own.

The regions affected by the presence of toxic gases and radioactive waste encompasses Yugoslavia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Macedonia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Albania, Greece, Romania and the European portion of Turkey. Italy and other European states should also be included in the growing list of affected countries because of this DU air-born radioactive waste -- this is according to the American Associations of Jurists.

This ammunition was also used in Iraq during the Gulf conflict earlier, where it proved its effectiveness and wreaks its continuing havoc. After several years of silence, US officials finally admitted that 340 tons of DU were fired during the Gulf war. The American Associations of Jurists claims that NATO has used these banned weapons and is therefore guilty of war crimes against humanity -- "The use of cluster bombs and projectiles containing spent uranium, as well as the bombardment of chemical plants, violated Article 35, clause 2 of Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions on the rules of war," the AAJ communiqué stated.

To the best of my limited knowledge, this release of toxic waste, that slowly poisons, kills and contaminates, is called "chemical warfare." Simply because it is a secondary effect of the explosion of a DU device does not alter the crime. Warfare which can be expected to cause extensive and lasting environmental damage is definitely forbidden by protocol or other standards of international law. I'm sure you will agree with me - a product that will last for 4.4 billion years qualifies as "lasting environmental damage."

Peacekeepers from every NATO country France, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Poland Spain and Portugal have been contacting cancers, and leukemia at an alarming rate. Many are simply wasting away from unknown causes while military brass try to play down the problem. It is indeed unfortunate that NATO countries are now having to do tests on the effects of this horrific contaminant after the fact. It is impossible to believe that both Britain and the US military were not aware of the horrific crimes they were committing.

Italian authorities are saying (from prepared text) that there is no problem -- some veterans and environmentalists disagree. Italian worries started about a year ago when reports circulated that Italian soldiers were coming down with leukemia. Bowing to pressure, a team of military hazardous-material experts are currently preparing a new uranium investigation.

Soldiers will be soldiers. They like to collect little momentoes of their adventures. One German soldier was convicted of spreading contamination when he brought home a souvenir shell casing. How many other vets have radioactive-waste souvenirs? A good question! US veterans have complained the radioactivity is responsible for Gulf War syndrome and that DU is at least partially to blame for their suffering. British troops deployed in Kosovo are taking things a step further. They are suing the Defense Ministry for ailments they attribute to DU. Civilians and refugees returning to their devastated homelands were never warned of the DU danger. There are many reports of children and civilians handling the spent shell casings.

It is interesting that nuclear waste that must be isolated and kept away from the general population in one's own country, can be spread around like so much harmless scrap metal in someone else's. "It is nuclear waste for Pete's sake." It is dangerous, and everyone knows it. Unbelievable! Does our stupidity have no boundaries?

Have a nice day.