The Politics of War: Are We Allowing US Vets to Die from Uranium Exposure?
CityWatch The Russ Report
Katherine Russ, March 26, 2011
EXTRACT: DU contains less than one third as much U-235 and U-234 as natural uranium. The external radiation dose from DU is about 60% of that from the same mass of natural uranium. Experts have cited that uranium has unique chemical and physical properties, which makes its toxicity mechanisms complicated to comprehend.
During the Gulf War, planes, helicopters and tanks fired some 300 tons of DU “munitions”. DU was used in the Balkans, and now, in Iraq and Afghanistan. DU hardens the tips of bullets and artillery shells, giving them the ability to pierce the toughest armor.
EXTRACT: Between the toxic burn pits, the slow acting poison of DU and the crushing effects of 2, 3, 4 or more forced deployments, we are building an army of suicidal, PTSD afflicted, homeless and unemployable young people who we are addicting to a cornucopia of drugs…for life. We're already building special courts, special jails, special hospitals, special housing, special welfare programs, drug treatment centers and more for our young vets. In the next decade, our youngest veterans will become THE major problem in this country. This isn't going to be pretty.”