Almost nobody talks about this...
Depleted Uranium:  www.notinkansas.us/

For four years in the Air Force, I was at the School of Aerospace Medicine in Texas – known at that time (early 60's) as one of the 3 or 4 most respected medical radiation research facilities in the world. I was doing radiation research and also I taught a lab class in radio-isotopes to MDs and PhDs. So, I know something about what is going on.

I've been aware of the use of "depleted" uranium for several years. The article above reads like a supermarket tabloid, but it has some straight scoop. I wish more people would talk about this immoral policy. It may be leading to a world-wide tragedy.

Just a note about "depleted" Uranium (DU) -- it's depleted in the sense that it's not useful for producing large amounts of electricity. U235 is used in nuclear reactors, which breaks down mainly into U238 and Plutonium (Pu239 Pu240, Pu241and Pu242 ). The Plutonium is processed out and reused. The remainder is "depleted Uranium".

DU isn't dangerous when it's just setting around – over a half million tons in the US – I hope it doesn't leak out anytime soon – of course it will, eventually, unless they shoot it off into the sun.

DU emits Alpha particles as well as some Beta particles and Gamma radiation. Alpha particles have very limited penetrating power. The problems happen when DU gets into the body. Then, the Alpha particles can be deadly to people, their grandkids and other living things.

When it's used in munitions (for its penetrating power), on impact it breaks up into microscopic particles that are carried by the winds or to settle into drinking water, risking the heath of civilians and our own troops. The heat of the impact converts the uranium oxide from a heavy metal into a ceramic heavy metal that makes it insoluble. So it takes a long time for the body to get rid ot it (long biological half-life).

The Pentagon estimates that U.S. and British forces used 1,100 to 2,200 tons of weaponry made from "depleted" uranium in Iraq - that's around 2 to 4 million pounds. Our government maintains there are no health hazards from depleted uranium, but many scientists strongly disagree. Since there is disagreement between the government and scientists, it would seem sensible to find out who's right before we fire up to 4 million pounds of these weapons in a country we are so humanely trying to liberate.

You can find PhD's writing on the internet poo-pooing the dangers – I haven't read any skeptical article that I can't pick apart. Not that the articles are wrong – it's just the PhD's somehow leave out relevant information (and I wonder about their agenda or who is giving them their grants.)

For a careful scientific report on DU see:
www.sonaliandjim.net/politics/DU/DU_paper.htm
For another good article with lots of links, see:
Depleted Uranium and the Poisoning of Humanity

Before we play dice with the lives of our troops and our grandkids, maybe we should find out what's what. — Or, perhaps, our government just doesn't care.

deja vu all over again:
[in Iraq, the British have been] "led into a trap from which it shall be hard to escape with dignity and honour. They have been tricked into it by a steady withholding of information. The Baghdad communiques are belated, insincere, incomplete. Things have been far worse than we have been told. Our administration more bloody and inefficient than the public knows ... We are today not far from a disaster."
- Lawrence of Arabia, 1920
End note: the history of the 1920's shows that Lawrence was correct...

Aloha, Larry