Soaring birth deformities and child cancer rates in Iraq

[undeterred]

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/may2005/iraq-m10.shtml

Soaring birth deformities and child cancer rates in Iraq
By James Cogan
10 May 2005
World Socialist Web Site

Iraqi doctors are making renewed efforts to bring to the world’s attention the growth in birth deformities and cancer rates among the country’s children. The medical crisis is being directly blamed on the widespread use of depleted uranium (DU) munitions by the US and British forces in southern Iraq during the 1991 Gulf War, and the even greater use of DU during the 2003 invasion.

The rate of birth defects, after increasing ten-fold from 11 per 100,000 births in 1989 to 116 per 100,000 in 2001, is soaring further. Dr Nawar Ali, a medical researcher into birth deformities at Baghdad University, told the UN’s Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) last month: “There have been 650 cases in total since August 2003 reported in government hospitals. That is a 20 percent increase from the previous regime. Private hospitals were not included in the study, so the number could be higher.”

His colleague, Dr Ibrahim al-Jabouri, reported: “In my experiments we have found some cases where the mother and father were suffering from pollution from weapons used in the south and we believe that it is affecting newborn babies in the country.”

The director of the Central Teaching Hospital in Baghdad, Wathiq Ibrahim, said: “We have asked for help from the government to make a more profound study on such cases as it is affecting thousands of families.” The rise in birth defects is matched by a continuing increase in the incidence of childhood cancers.

[Vincardog]

1. cay we say 'Crimes against Humanity?'

[phusion]

2. This is horrible...

Makes me sick, really.

Will they ever forgive us?

[LdyGuique]

3. There are many images that bring great sadness about

war zones. But, it's only in modern warfare that DU weapons leave such a toxic residue that afflicts civilian populations. The U.S. technological legacy for Agent Orange (dioxin) in Viet Nam and the use of DU weapons in the Balkins, Gulf I, and Gulf II is leaving a cruel aspect that is shameful and avoidable. Deliberately polluting the world with DU is going to undermine anything that we might accomplish. DU Poster Children will continue to show up in the Arabic presses and there is no defense against it. It's inexcusable.

[bennywhale]

5. I visited the Balkans

last year and there are still vast swathes of land that is out of bounds, they say unexploded ordanance (cluster bombs)which is bad enough but DU was also used extensively it makes you sick.

[undeterred]

4. there is nothing sadder than this

Children who have had the chance a normal life taken away before birth. Children who have lost arms, legs, brothers, sisters, fathers, and mothers. And for what?

[doodadem]

7. Yes, but if those mothers were to seek abortions

for those malformed babies, this administration would be all over it.
Where is the "Releasing children from poverty in Jesus name", now?

[AFSCME girl]

6. Kick for the children.....

All of this suffering for *'s illegitimate war....

:banghead: :banghead: ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[chlamor]

8. Soaring Birth Deformity and Child Cancer Rates in Iraq

Soaring birth deformities and child cancer rates in Iraq

James Cogan, WSWS



10 May 2005 - Iraqi doctors are making renewed efforts to bring to the world’s attention the growth in birth deformities and cancer rates among the country’s children. The medical crisis is being directly blamed on the widespread use of depleted uranium (DU) munitions by the US and British forces in southern Iraq during the 1991 Gulf War, and the even greater use of DU during the 2003 invasion.

The rate of birth defects, after increasing ten-fold from 11 per 100,000 births in 1989 to 116 per 100,000 in 2001, is soaring further. Dr Nawar Ali, a medical researcher into birth deformities at Baghdad University, told the UN’s Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) last month: “There have been 650 cases in total since August 2003 reported in government hospitals. That is a 20 percent increase from the previous regime. Private hospitals were not included in the study, so the number could be higher.”

<snip>

Six years ago, the College of Medicine at Basra University carried out a study into the rate of cancer among children under the age of 15 in southern Iraq from 1976 to 1999. It revealed a horrific change between 1990 and 1999. In the province of Basra, the incidence of cancer of all types rose by 242 percent, while the rate of leukaemia among children rose 100 percent. Children living in the area were falling ill with cancer at the rate of 10.1 per 100,000. In districts where the use of DU had been the most concentrated, the rate rose to 13.2 per 100,000.

<snip>

Terrible as these results were, the last six years have witnessed a further rise in the number of children under 15 falling ill with cancer in Iraq. The rate has now reached 22.4 per 100,000—more than five times the 1990 rate of 3.98 per 100,000.

http://www.uruknet.info/?p=m11651

[bpilgrim]

9. we are using DIRTY BOMBS on IRAQIS! :faint:

the 'liberal' media is gonna be all over this WAR CRIME!

peace

[Lindacooks]

10. And the Iraqi people are better off than under Saddam

exactly HOW, now?

[Darranar]

11. "Liberation." See how much the Iraqi people have benefited? n/t