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Depleted
Uranium Munitions and Their Effects on Our Troops
How can we remain sanguine when
we read of soldiers returning from Iraq
with evidence of depleted uranium caused illnesses? How can we distance
ourselves from news of hospital wards in Iraq filled with children
suffering from varied types of malignancies or physical
deformities
caused by DU? How can we defer horror when we learn of future
environmental disasters which may be caused by untold amounts of DU
particles settling in the earth? Where is our sense of outrage?In Iraq and On Iraqi Civilians Depleted uranium is the waste product of the process that produces enriched uranium for use in atomic weapons and nuclear power. It is the isotope U238, a man made uranium byproduct, which results when the high level radioactive isotope U235 is extracted from natural uranium. It is both toxic and radioactive and is used in armor piercing bullets, casings for bombs, tank armor and the ballast of cruise missiles. Data on the harmful effects of DU have been available for many years. To be more precise, we have information that the U. S. has been experimenting with depleted uranium munitions for over thirty years and instituted their use in the gulf war in 1991. During that period we know that the U. S. fired more than 300 metric tons of radioactive weaponry while in the current invasion of Iraq it fired at least twice as many. In the intervening years, DU munitions have been used in Somalia, Bosnia, the Balkans and Afghanistan. The U.S. has taken no responsibility for the exposure of veterans and active U. S. forces, or for the populations of Kuwait and Iraq who have been exposed to DU shells. And since the gulf war none of the 600,000 pounds of DU waste has been cleaned up. Symptoms like chronic fatigue, hair loss and various types of cancers (symptoms reminiscent of the "gulf war syndrome") have been described. Soldiers were not told of the use of DU and were not given advice as to precautions or the use of protective gear in handling contaminated materials. While I have been researching and writing about the use of DU since the gulf war years only recently have I had the opportunity to interview a number of soldiers who have exhibited symptoms of DU exposure. Hearing the personal stories of these veterans has been a heartbreaking experience especially because they encountered a lack of attention to their complaints, a lack of testing, inadequate diagnosis and poor care. They have been shifted from hospital to hospital and most frequently have been dismissed with the implication that their symptoms are baseless and their problems imaginary. Herbert Reed, a national guardsman, and twenty year army veteran had been sent to a military base in the south of Iraq where he was put in charge of training Iraqi police, going on patrols and helping to build a prison. Living conditions were poor, water was contaminated, sand storms were constant, food was unpalatable and excessive heat at 100 - 140 degrees was frequent. He developed a partially paralyzed left arm, suffered herniated spinal discs and was finally transferred to Walter Reed hospital in Washington. However, as is typical with DU victims, he developed additional symptoms, including blood in the stool and urine, frequent diarrhea, nausea, physical imbalance, etc. DU poisoning was suspected but no adequate testing was done until he received an honorable discharge from the army and sought out civilian physicians. Another soldier who went through a similar prolonged period of neglect, frustrating care and inadequate diagnosis is Gerard Matthews. He originally enlisted in the marine corps in 1992 and was discharged in 1997. However, he became a national guardsman, reenlisted and drove trucks into DU contaminated areas. He also developed symptoms which became serious enough for him to be discharged in 2004. He suffers from facial swelling and headaches, double vision, burning urine and now has developed a micro adenoma of the pituitary gland. He and his wife decided to have a child and faced further problems A little girl was born but she suffers from an atypical syndactyly, a condition common to those with active exposure to DU - her right hand has only two digits. Victoria Claudette shows no other genetic disorders and seems otherwise healthy but Matthews is frustrated and indignant that the government never warned him about the dangers of DU exposure. A group of N.Y. guardsmen from another unit were also tested for DU contamination and all tested positive. It was the knowledge of his friends' experiences that spurred Matthews desire to be tested as well, since he had spent much of his time in Iraq lugging around DU damaged equipment. Unfortunately, he was the most contaminated of the group. Both Herbert Reed and Gerard Matthews have instituted a suit against the government and it is about to be presented and tried. Since soldiers were not educated concerning the dangers of DU exposure, no preventive medications were instituted and no precautions taken, they certainly have valid complaints. Incidentally, the toxic pollution is not limited to one field of battle or one country. Particles can float into the air and finally fall to the ground, then sink to the level of water beneath the earth and reemerge in grains and grasses consumed by animals and humans. Some scientists insist that other metals like tungsten are cheaper, less toxic and less radioactive than DU why are we using it? Those of us who are against the current occupation of Iraq and consider our Iraq adventure a tragic error feel that it is important to eliminate the use of DU entirely. An impartial scientific commission should be formed to educate our citizenry to the dangers of DU in returning soldiers and civilians and should publicize the effects of DU in other countries as well, in an immediate effort to eliminate the use of DU entirely with the cooperation of the U.N. and world leaders. DU munitions should be classified as "chemical weapons of mass destruction." Above all we must speak out, confront congressional leaders and prevent them from pretending that DU dangers to our bodies and our environment are nonexistent. Current investigations have finally exposed the secrecy and cover up, and protests are beginning to be heard in the press and other media. |