"...Although the A-10 can carry considerable disposable stores, its primary built-in weapon is the 30 mm GAU-8/A Avenger Gatling-type cannon.<50> One of the most powerful aircraft cannons ever flown,
it fires large depleted uranium armor-piercing shells. In the original design, the pilot could switch between two rates of fire: 2,100 or 4,200 rounds per minute;<51> this was changed to a fixed rate of 3,900 rounds per minute.<52>..."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-10"...Annex II to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material 1980 (which became operative on 8 February 1997)
classifies DU as a category II nuclear material. Storage and transport rules are set down for that category which indicates that DU is considered sufficiently "hot" and dangerous to warrant these protections. But since weapons containing DU are relatively new weapons no treaty exists yet to regulate, limit or prohibit its use. The legality or illegality of DU weapons must therefore be tested by recourse to the general rules governing the use of weapons under humanitarian and human rights law which have already been analysed in Part I of this paper, and more particularly at paragraph 35 which states that parties to Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 have an obligation to ascertain that new weapons do not violate the laws and customs of war or any other international law. As mentioned, the International Court of Justice considers this rule binding customary humanitarian law..."
In 2001,
Carla Del Ponte, then the chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, said that NATO's use of depleted uranium in former Yugoslavia could be investigated as a possible war crime.<43>..."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depleted_uraniumThe NY Times has become death that glows empire.
Each and every day I become more disgusted to call myself an "American"
And then I read quotes from the founders and I realize that we must restore the idea of America because it was a very special thing, until the psychopaths and fools that call themselves "leaders" took us down the road to empire.
I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.
Thomas Jefferson
Our country is now taking so steady a course as to show by what road it will pass to destruction, to wit: by consolidation of power first, and then corruption, its necessary consequence.
Thomas Jefferson