Hi,
Thank you for helping me with the clarification. I have been scourging
the internet and also looking at a couple of papers on the subject. I
have found a few references that contradicts the fact that Depleted
Uranium (DU) poses a serious risk. These are of course reports that
indicate that "If" (and thats a big 'if') DU is handled properly it
cannot cause significant damage.
You might find this interesting:
"We have been using depleted uranium weapons for decades," Cohen said
Jan. 10. "Depleted uranium is also used in most of our aircraft and
most of our ships. It's used as ballast. So it's around us all the
time and it doesn't pose an unreasonable risk."
Cohen: handled properly, DU poses no risk by Linda D. Kozaryn American
Forces Press Service.
http://www.af.mil/news/Jan2001/n20010111_0039.shtml
Like I have indicated in Point 4 below (or see clarification above)
"Secrecy and stealth is the major danger facing us rather than DU
itself. If officials keep denying that DU poses a risk, then the
fallout could be worse in the long run.
You can see an example of a 'hot denial' here,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/1273053.stm
Especially note that the 'Offical' finds the investigation
"interesting" (sic).
I reproduce the rest of the report from the clarification:
Dangers listed in no particular order:
1. In 15 NATO Veterans of the Balkans Operations died of epidemic.
Depleted Uranium (DU) shells are supposed to be responsible for this.
Some of the diseases that they suffered from are,
a) Cancers of the brain,
b) Cancer of the lungs,
c) Abnormality in kidneys blood,
d) And lymphatic system.
e) Leukemia
This came to light around 2001 when DU munitions used in tank and
aircraft where claimed to pose risk to human health. NATO opened a
high-level investigation of the thousands of cases of cancer and
mysterious illnesses, dubbed `Balkan Syndrome,' among NATO troops who
served in Kosova and Bosnia.
A Link on news reports relating to the dangers of DU:
http://www.iraqwatch.org/government/Iraq/MOI%20-%20Iraq%20Daily/iraq-daily-du-072302.htm
2. The misuse of DU can be catastrophic as can be inferred from this
report (http://www.iacenter.org/du_frame.htm). The use of DU by
terrorists can hold the entire world at ransom and can destruction of
property and innocent lives.
3. Use of DU in war. This danger is real! See attached report
(http://www.iacenter.org/israel_du.htm) If governments are now going
to begin using these agents of mass destruction, maximum damage can be
inflicted on the enemy side.
4. Secrecy and stealth. This is another danger which can prove fatal.
Many governments of the world pretend that the use of DU is not of
significant consequence. Research activites are carried out
underground and the facts not released to the public.
For a detailed analysis of DU dangers and reports of DU from around
the world the following collection of links is an excellent source.
http://www.iacenter.org/depleted/du.htm
I would like to add that no answer on this subject would be
complete without the official data and information contained in the
WHO archives.
http://www.who.int/environmental_information/radiation/depleted_uranium.htm
The detailed list of risks that a person is exposed to from the
'technical' point of view is given in the official report. A fact
sheet on Uranium and Depleted Uranium.
http://www.who.int/inf-fs/en/fact257.html
As of now, I have not come across any technical document from an
investigative agency indicating that working with DU is safe.
Now I will attempt to balance out the report with more
counter-reports,
"In response to the health concerns of Gulf veterans, the Ministry of
Defence has, both in 1993 and 1999 published details of these
hazards...There has been no evidence, during the deployment, or
subsequently, of kidney damage which would be the chief indication of
heavy metal poisoning...Furthermore, there is currently no evidence
after 10 years, of a higher rate of cancer amongst Gulf veterans
compared to a control group..."
How to be a Civil Servant: Depleted Uranium. by Martin Stanley
http://www.civilservant.org.uk/du.shtml
Another reliable source, the WHO has this to say:
"Under most circumstances, use of DU will make a negligible
contribution to the overall natural background levels of uranium in
the environment. The greatest potential for DU exposure will follow a
conflict where DU munitions are used..."
more,
"No consistent or confirmed adverse effects have been reported for the
skeleton or liver. However, few studies have been conducted..."
Fact Sheet on uranium: Fact Sheet N° 257 Revised April 2001. WHO
http://www.who.int/inf-fs/en/fact257.html
I will sum up this report (now that it is balanced) with an extract
from a brilliant paper by Vladimir S. Zajic who is a Ph.D. in Nuclear
Physics from the Charles University of Prague in the Czech Republic
and is considered an authority on the subject.
"Yet the matter of depleted uranium is more urgent than the possible
exposures to chemical weapons, for two reasons. While no treatment is
available for delayed neurotoxicity [59], most cancers can be cured
when detected early. Cancer is the expected long-term consequence of
both the radiological and toxic effects of depleted uranium exposure.
The second reason is the post-battlefield contamination. While most
organic compounds produced for use as chemical warfare agents,
including mustard gas and nerve gas, decay within days or weeks after
their release, depleted uranium does not decay that fast. On the
contrary, its radioactivity is slowly increasing due to the secular
equilibrium build-up of the the uranium decay series. Unless some
cleanup is organized soon, the contamination will plague natives of
the war affected areas for centuries to come."
Review of Radioactivity, Military Use, and Health Effects of Depleted
Uranium
Compiled by Vladimir S. Zajic, July 1999
http://members.tripod.com/vzajic/contents.html#top
I recommend that you go through this paper and follow its detailed
analysis.
Additonal Links:
A WHO sponsored research report:
http://www.who.int/environmental_information/radiation/depleted_uranium.htm.
Search Strategy:
health risk Depleted Uranium
no risk depleted uranium
official report depleted uranium
technical depleted uranium
WHO depleted uranium
facts depleted uranium
Thank you.
Regards,
Shiv Reddy |
