Thanks for the oil, Iraq, here’s some cancer

[marmar]

from Grist:



Thanks for the oil, Iraq, here’s some cancer
By Susie Cagle


Turns out depleted uranium (DU) munitions are a great thing to use when you’re going to war, so long as you plan on terrorizing people for generations to come. Military-related pollution is suspected of causing a huge spike in birth defects and all kinds of cancer in Iraq since the start of the Gulf War more than 20 years ago.

The last 10 years of the Iraq War, especially, cost a lot of money that we could’ve done way better things with and also killed 190,000 people directly, but that doesn’t cover the full extent of the damage.

“Official Iraqi government statistics show that, prior to the outbreak of the First Gulf War in 1991, the rate of cancer cases in Iraq was 40 out of 100,000 people,” Al Jazeera reports. “By 1995, it had increased to 800 out of 100,000 people, and, by 2005, it had doubled to at least 1,600 out of 100,000 people. Current estimates show the increasing trend continuing.” That’s potentially a more than 4,000 percent increase in the cancer rate, making it more than 500 percent higher than the cancer rate in the U.S. .................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://grist.org/news/thanks-for-the-oil-iraq-heres-some-cancer/

[RagAss]

1. same thing happened in Bosnia.

[FBaggins]

2. Plenty of reasons to be ticked at the Iraq war... this isn't one of them.

There is no connection between the use of DU and cancer rates. Nor is there any scientific reason to believe that there ever will be.

It simply isn't a radiological threat. The stuff is significantly less radioactive than natural uranium (which is everywhere).

prior to the outbreak of the First Gulf War in 1991, the rate of cancer cases in Iraq was 40 out of 100,000 people,” Al Jazeera reports. “By 1995, it had increased to 800 out of 100,000 people, and, by 2005, it had doubled to at least 1,600 out of 100,000 people.

That's B.S. of course.

[marmar]

4. So are you suggesting that Al Jazeera just made up some stats?

nt

[Lionessa]

6. Just thinkin'... I wonder how that compares to rates in un-DU bombed countries?

I would imagine you'd find spikes in cancer "cases" everywhere,...we're better a diagnosing, we're better at treating (so more cases through re-occurrence), and we're probably even more likely to look at cause of death in the older population than we used to as research for that group has increased dramatically.

I may be wrong, but I'd like to see some comparative stats before jumping on this wagon.

[FBaggins]

7. Probably not.

Whoever they got the story from made it up.

And yes, a jump from 40 to 1600 is without precedent even in areas with very high radiation levels.

[EOTE]

5. How about birth defects?

It's not solely the radioactivity that makes DU so dangerous, it's the fact that it becomes aerosolized when utilized as a weapon and can easily get into one's body.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depleted_uranium

As early as 1997, British Army doctors warned the British MoD (Ministry of Defence) that exposure to depleted uranium increased the risk of developing lung, lymph and brain cancer, and recommended a series of safety precautions.[69] According to a report issued summarizing the advice of the doctors, 'Inhalation of insoluble uranium dioxide dust will lead to accumulation in the lungs with very slow clearance—if any.... Although chemical toxicity is low, there may be localised radiation damage of the lung leading to cancer." The report warns that 'All personnel ... should be aware that uranium dust inhalation carries a long-term risk... [the dust] has been shown to increase the risks of developing lung, lymph and brain cancers."[69]

Studies using cultured cells and laboratory rodents continue to suggest the possibility of leukemogenic, genetic, reproductive, and neurological effects from chronic exposure.[5] In addition, the UK Pensions Appeal Tribunal Service in early 2004 attributed birth defect claims from a February 1991 Gulf War combat veteran to depleted uranium poisoning.[70][71] Also, a 2005 epidemiology review concluded: "In aggregate the human epidemiological evidence is consistent with increased risk of birth defects in offspring of persons exposed to DU."[10]

Its use in incendiary ammunition is controversial because of potential adverse health effects and its release into the environment.[72][73][74][75][76][77] Besides its residual radioactivity, U-238 is a heavy metal whose compounds are known from laboratory studies to be toxic to mammals.

[FBaggins]

8. Those too.

There are lots of scary pictures of kids with birth defects, but I can show you just as many from other poor countries that never had DU used. There's reason to feel sympathy for the kids... but not to point fingers at a given cause.

It's not solely the radioactivity that makes DU so dangerous, it's the fact that it becomes aerosolized when utilized as a weapon and can easily get into one's body.

DU is a heavy metal just like lead... and just like lead, there are health effects for ingesting too much of it.

But that would be true if we made the bullets out of lead.

The problem is that we made a bunch of bullets and fired them at people. It isn't that they're made of DU.

Also, a 2005 epidemiology review concluded "Consistent with" is dramatically different from identifying it as teratogenic factor... let alone identifying the way that it's having an effect (if at all). And the authors admitted that.

The Health Physics Society is the gold-standard for health effects of radioactive substances. Here's their summary.

http://hps.org/documents/dufactsheet.pdf

[EOTE]

9. I call BS. There are a number of epidemiological studies which have been performed.

I linked to them as well. There is loads of evidence that DU is extremely harmful where used. The problem is not only that we fired these bullets at people, it's what the bullets were made of as well. This is science, this is real, it cannot be denied. But lemme guess, these are just scary words meant to enrage the anti-uranium lobbies?

"Human epidemiological evidence is consistent with increased risk of birth defects in the offspring of persons exposed to DU.[10] A 2001 study of 15,000 February 1991 U.S. Gulf War combat veterans and 15,000 control veterans found that the Gulf War veterans were 1.8 (fathers) to 2.8 (mothers) times more likely to have children with birth defects.[97] After examination of children's medical records two years later, the birth defect rate increased by more than 20%:

"Dr. Kang found that male Gulf War veterans reported having infants with likely birth defects at twice the rate of non-veterans. Furthermore, female Gulf War veterans were almost three times more likely to report children with birth defects than their non-Gulf counterparts. The numbers changed somewhat with medical records verification. However, Dr. Kang and his colleagues concluded that the risk of birth defects in children of deployed male veterans still was about 2.2 times that of non-deployed veterans."[98] "

[FBaggins]

10. I updated too late.

See the link added in the post above.


I linked to them as well. There is loads of evidence that DU is extremely harmful where used.

That's absolutely true. It's intended to kill people "where used" and is very effective at doing so.

But it doesn't retain a significant ongoing danger (certainly not a radiological one) past that point.

There's overwhelming evidence that it isn't a radiation threat. Not the least of which is that the darn stuff just isn't that radioactive.

[EOTE]

11. I strongly suggest you do a better job reading.

The effects go well beyond their initial use. Gulf War Veterans were 1.8 to 2.8 times more likely to have children born with birth defects as to Vets who did not participate in the Gulf War. And the fact that it's only somewhat radioactive doesn't mean a whole fucking lot when it's all over the place and is frequently inhaled by people.

[FBaggins]

12. Sorry... you're reading biased sources.

Gulf War Veterans were 1.8 to 2.8 times more likely to have children born with birth defects as to Vets who did not participate in the Gulf War.

Which doesn't point to DU even if true. Sorry.

And the fact that it's only somewhat radioactive doesn't mean a whole fucking lot when it's all over the place and is frequently inhaled by people.

Actually... that's exactly what it means when there are LOTS of things that are "all over the place" and many of them (natural uranium ore for one) are more radioactive.

[EOTE]

14. Yeah, those many epidemiological reports are all biased.

Damned epidemiologists and their "Big human" biases. We should just let Rand Paul do our epidemiological reports from now on. And once again, you aren't taking into account that the uranium ore that is found "everywhere" is not commonly inhaled, you seem to be a tad confused about that little issue. Christ, the war criminals in this country get by just fine without your support.

[FBaggins]

15. Many reports?

Sorry... that simply isn't the case. Conspiracy theorists have a few favorites that they like to point to, but there vast bulk of the evidence points in the other direction.

[EOTE]

16. Yeah, like the bountiful amount of information you've provided.

Most DUers are far too bright to consider Wikipedia a conspiracy theory site. You're also completely ignoring that a good bulk of the information I provided came from the Department of Veterans Affairs, those wacky conspiracy theorists. But I'm sure that information is just wacky CT, talk. Unlike the fully sourced and researched bullshit you've provided (I.E.," I'm right because I said so!&quot

[FBaggins]

20. Lol! Did you just cite Wikipedia as immune from conspiracy theories?

I'll just leave that where it is.

You're also completely ignoring that a good bulk of the information I provided came from the Department of Veterans Affairs

You're saying that you think the VA agrees with you? How odd that they don't say that on their site?
But if you need more links...

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp150.pdf
http://royalsociety.org/policy/publications/2001/health-uranium-munitions-i/
http://fhp.osd.mil/du/pdfs/opinion.pdf
http://www.who.int/ionizing_radiation/pub_meet/en/WHA54report.pdf

The most recent of those (the first) was updated last month and deals directly with your claims:

3.2.1.6 Developmental Effects
No studies were located that specifically reported effects of uranium on development in humans or
animals following inhalation exposures for any duration. However, the issue of teratogenicity of depleted
uranium aerosols in humans was reviewed by Hindin et al. (2005). The investigators examined a series of
reports that included groups of Gulf War veterans from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada,
and Australia; reports from Iraqi hospitals and clinics during and after the war; reports of birth defects in a
New Mexico community living near a depleted uranium weapons testing facility; reports of birth defects
in infants born in Bosnia and Herzegovina after the Bosnia War or in Kuwait after the Gulf War; and
other reports. Most of the data from these reports have not been published in peer-reviewed journals;
some have been published in newspapers or presented at Iraqi conferences. Lacking from all reports was
documentation of individual depleted uranium exposure and other wartime-generated substances, as well
as nutritional and environmental factors. Some reports lacked methodologically rigorous investigation,
while in others, the incidences of birth defects between purportedly exposed and nonexposed groups were
not statistically significant.

[EOTE]

22. You seem to have an utter inability to have an honest argument.

While that information was on Wikipedia, the information came from a number of sources, including the VA and other epidemiological studies.

And in return, you provide you provide loads of BS, much of which says nothing to bolster your argument and loads of which simply provide extremely erroneous conclusions. The U.N. as well as the bulk of the world's scientists strongly disagree with your conclusion.

Also, that WHO link you provided DOES, in fact, tell of the dangers of depleted DU, even talking about the clean up operations (which, for the great bulk of cases hasn't been done) necessary in war zones where DU has been used. More than anything, that link seems to show how incredibly naive and harmful your view is. God only knows what else I'd find in your links which you seem to think bolster your argument.

Again, war criminals have enough support as it is. You really don't need to be making their job any easier for them.

[EOTE]

18. Wacky CTers, all of them!

They're just more medical organizations in the pocket of Big People. Those sources seem to only care about humans. They don't seem to care one wit as to what the manufacturers of depleted uranium arms feel.

[polly7]

19. Ugh.

I've just checked, and many of those links don't work anymore . Sorry about that. I just quickly grabbed them from the NCII Brief: 'Environmental Contaminants from War Remnants in Iraq' I posted earlier: http://www.iauiraq.org/documents/1375/images...unitionsHumanHealthinIraq.pdf

I used to have a whole file of studies and articles on DU and lost everything.

[FBaggins]

21. Actually yes. Quite a few of those are.

Rokke and Busby at the top of the list.

[polly7]

24. How about this one?

[FBaggins]

25. Obivously.

The original training video is fine. The edits are pretty ridiculous.

[polly7]

3. Thanks for the thread, marmar.

Last edited Thu Mar 21, 2013, 09:52 AM - Edit history (2)

http://www.iauiraq.org/documents/1375/images...unitionsHumanHealthinIraq.pdf -

NCCI Brief
Environmental Contaminants from War Remnants in Iraq
NCCI’s brief provides an overview of what appear to be widespread, and often lethal, health effects from war contaminants in Iraq, namely Depleted Uranium (DU). Clearing DU-contaminated war remnants from areas across Iraq, as well as providing support to Iraqi victims of DU contamination, are critical issues for rebuilding this war-torn nation. NCCI published this paper with information and eyewitness testimony from doctors, researchers, NGOs leaders, and activists in the field who are struggling to respond to Iraq’s ostensibly growing health crisis and raise the international community’s awareness concerning Iraqi DU victims’ plight.

http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/7/7/2828

Cancer, Infant Mortality and Birth Sex-Ratio in Fallujah, Iraq 2005–2009

Scarred Lands & Wounded Lives - The Environmental Footprint ...
from: Alice & Lincoln Day

http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/6280/jsSendInvitation.php

Synopsis: Using on-site and archival footage to illustrate specialist and eyewitness accounts from around the world, "Scarred Lands & Wounded Lives" shows how war and preparations for war further compromise the environmental health of a planet already stressed by massive population increases, ruinous environmental practices, and unsustainable demands on natural resources. In the context of growing awareness and alarm about global climate change, it shows natural security (the protection and preservation of ecosystems) to be an essential component of any realistic approach to national security



War and the True Tragedy of the Commons
Thursday 28 July 2011
by: H. Patricia Hynes, Truthout | News Analysis

http://www.truth-out.org/war-and-true-tragedy-commons/1311181265

Military Hazardous Waste Sickens Land and People
http://www.truth-out.org/war-and-tragedy-commons-part-2-military-hazardous-waste-sickens-land-and-people/1311868811#1

Chemical Warfare: Agent Orange
http://www.truth-out.org/war-and-tragedy-commons-part-3/1312921264

Dead Forests, Dying People: Agent Orange & Chemical Warfare in Vietnam
By Fred Wilcox
Source: The Asia-Pacific JournalTuesday, December 13, 2011
http://zcommunications.org/dead-forests-dying-people-agent-orange-and-chemical-warfare-in-vietnam-by-fred-wilcox
http://www.expose-the-war-profiteers.org/DOD/iraq_II_white_phosphorus/index.htm

Biological Weapons: Bargaining With the Devil
http://www.truth-out.org/war-and-tragedy-commons-biological-weapons-bargaining-devil-part-four/1313441802

Depleted Uranium Weapon Use Persists, Despite Deadly Side Effects
http://www.truth-out.org/depleted-uranium-weapon-use-persists-despite-deadly-side-effects/1313781795
http://www.iauiraq.org/documents/1375/images...unitionsHumanHealthinIraq.pdf

&feature=fvst - Deadly Legacy - Iraq

Landmines and Cluster Bombs: "Weapons of Mass Destruction in Slow Motion"
http://www.truth-out.org/landmines-and-cluster-bombs-weapons-mass-destruction-slow-motion/1314637186
http://thewe.cc/weplanet/news/armed_force/terror_states/cluster_bombs_killing_injuring.htm#this_is_real

The Military Assault on Global Climate
http://www.truth-out.org/war-and-tragedy-commons-part-7-military-assault-global-climate/1315418406
http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stories/articles/2-us-department-of-defense-is-the-worst-polluter-on-the-planet/



http://vimeo.com/21574312

http://vimeo.com/21468675

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10171065

http://www.democraticunderground.com/101638604

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1016&pid=26187

http://www.democraticunderground.com/101626155

[2naSalit]

13. Lest anyone forget

that white phosphorus has also been used in bombs and whatever the hell they used in that Falluja assault, the bodies didn't decay normally and even the rats wouldn't touch them, and dogs cut a wide berth around them...

This is also an issue in Palestine where our BFFs use these elements with impunity.

We have some very bad juju to deal with now, as if we didn't already have enough.

[polly7]

23. 'Falluja Babies' and Depleted Uranium -- America's Toxic Legacy in Iraq

Al Jazeera English / By Dahr Jamail 24 COMMENTS

Two US-led wars in Iraq have left behind hundreds of tons of depleted uranium munitions and other toxic wastes.
March 18, 2013 |

Today in Fallujah, residents are reporting to Al Jazeera that many families are too scared to have children, as an alarming number of women are experiencing consecutive miscarriages and deaths with critically deformed and ill newborns.

Dr Samira Alani, a pediatric specialist at Fallujah General Hospital, has taken a personal interest in investigating an explosion of congenital abnormalities that have mushroomed in the wake of the US sieges since 2005.

"We have all kinds of defects now, ranging from congenital heart disease to severe physical abnormalities, both in numbers you cannot imagine," Alani told Al Jazeera at her office in the hospital last year, while showing countless photos of shocking birth defects.

Alani also co-authored a study in 2010 that showed the rate of heart defects in Fallujah to be 13 times the rate found in Europe. And, for birth defects involving the nervous system, the rate was calculated to be 33 times that found in Europe for the same number of births.

Full Article: http://www.alternet.org/world/falluja-babies-and-depleted-uranium-americas-toxic-legacy-iraq?paging=off

[PDJane]

26. There have been studies proving that continuing low-level radiation does more harm

Than single large bursts. The DNA damage can't repair itself, and the birth defects and cancer are larger from those munitions.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/meta-review-of-46-studies-even-the-lowest-level-radiation-is-damaging-to-human-health/5312306

Yes, depleted uranium can cause continuing damage, and will cause continuing damage. The US is very cavalier about the damage done to their servicemen and women and the inhabitants of the countries where those weapons are used.

In fact, the US military is the single largest polluter in the world. http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stories/articles/2-us-department-of-defense-is-the-worst-polluter-on-the-planet/

[joeybee12]

27. War is hell

And should only be the very, very, very last option.