Depleted Uranium for Peace

April 24th, 2007 Jay Posted in Blogroll, Peace |

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Once upon a time, in my youth, I intended to enlist as a combatant in the international conflict of the day. I was young, dumb and full of testosterone. Fortunately I got a clue. My conversion resulted from two sources of input.

First, I would have had to been living under a rock not to notice the people of the United States rising up in mass protest. I did not personally know any protesters but they seemed to be everywhere. Handbills, flyers, speeches, and both the mainstream and alternative media informed me. But this by itself did not dissuade me. This only initiated a personal process of questioning my naive opinion.

Second, I met a protester who was a veteran. Initially I challenged his position but rather than debate me in my obvious ignorance and bravado he gave me a book to read. He promised to discuss the issue with me if I read the book first. It was a small book, so I agreed. The book was

“Johnny Got His Gun” by Dalton Trumbo.

I had tears rolling down my face before I finished the book. When I went to return it I was ready to listen to someone who had lived through combat. The experience not only saved my life, it changed my life. I never saw him again and I don’t know if I even learned his name. I certainly don’t know it now, nearly 40 years later. But I still remember the emotional impact of our meeting and will be forever grateful.

So what does this have to do with Depleted Uranium (DU)? DU is toxic heavy metal with radioactive properties used by the military as anti-armor weapons and to reinforce tank armor. The military claims DU is not harmful to health and environment but independent experts disagree. Here is what they say.

DU dust traveled 2,400 miles in nine days from Iraq to England after the 2003 “Shock and Awe” attack on Iraq. The invisible DU dust cloud quadrupled Europe’s atmospheric radiation. Over 2,000 tons of United States DU munitions exploded in Iraq since 2003. Every sand storm in Iraq reintroduces DU dust particles into the air.

Journalists have reported that since 2003 parts of Baghdad have radiation levels 1,900 times higher than normal. Leukemia, other cancers and birth defects are on the rise in Iraq. One hospital averaged five deaths a day in infants and children.

Gulf War Syndrome has wide and varied health complaints. Since 2002 over 600,000 veterans have left active duty due to illness. In WWII the veteran disability rate was 5%. The rate was 10% after Vietnam. Gulf War Veteran’s disability rate is 55%.

DU remains radioactive for over 4 billion years. Exposure to DU dust may cause a wide variety of illness (symptoms may take years to appear) including

acute skin rashes
lung problems
severe headaches
depression
muscle and joint pain
general fatigue
major birth defects
liver infection
kidney failure
cardiovascular disease
brain tumors
almost every type of cancer

The military denies DU causes serious illness.

If you are considering enlistment you owe it to

yourself and your loved ones

to do your due diligence as to the facts of combat. Ask a combat veteran to level with you. If you have experienced combat would it be too much to ask that you share your experience with just one young, dumb and full of testosterone human being?

Watch these:

Truth Out DU story

“Beyond Treason” trailer

Captain Joyce Riley; Depleted Uranium

Free ”Beyond Treason” DVD to any U. S. Veteran
(scroll to bottom of page)

You CAN Handle The Truth - Poison DUst - Ep8 1of4

You CAN Handle The Truth - Poison DUst - Ep8 2of4

You CAN Handle The Truth - Poison DUst - Ep8 3of4

You CAN Handle The Truth - Poison DUst - Ep8 4of4