Bunker Bombs halted again as workers develop anemia again

[cyberpj]

'Bunker Buster' Bomb Production Halted Again

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (Reuters) - The plant that makes 2,000-pound (900 kg) "bunker buster" penetration bombs has stopped production for a second time after workers developed anemia due to TNT exposure, officials said on Wednesday.

Manufacture of the weapons -- heavily used in the Iraq (news - web sites) war -- was stopped on Feb. 8 after resuming a few weeks before following a lengthy production halt, said Mark Hughes, spokesman for the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant.

Blood tests in February found that 17 employees who make the weapons in McAlester had low blood oxygen levels caused by exposure to trinitrotoluene, or TNT, he said.

Production of the powerful bombs, which are designed to destroy underground structures, was stopped in August after 34 workers were found to be anemic.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=751&e=1&u=/nm/20050302/hl_nm/health_bombs_dc

[soothsayer]

1. They don't wear any protective gear? Oh, i forgot. Workers are

allowed to be endangered in the US now.

[rkc3]

2. OSHA, what the fuck is OSHA?

OSHA is a regulatory group that is a barrier to profitable growth in America.

OSHA is unnecessary since we banned frivolous lawsuits.

[Capn Sunshine]

3. Isn't OSHA in favor of gay marriage and against the troops?

I thought I read that somewhere.

[tinanator]

14. OSHA was the first thing GW fixed when he stole in

remember?

[soothsayer]

20. you know, you go to the beach to see the OSHA

[cyberpj]

4. 3 articles on the amazing recent resurrection of this "PROGRAM"

Feb 02, 2005 - Rumsfeld Asks for Restoration of "Program"
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0202-10.htm


Feb 06, 2005 - Efficacy of Bunker-Buster Nukes Up for Debate

"It is a study, it is nothing more and nothing less and it is not pursuing and it is not developing, it is not building, it is not manufacturing, it's not deploying and it's not using," Rumsfeld said in May 2003 of the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (search), or "bunker buster" bomb and the low-yield "mini-nuke."

(snip)

Because RNEPs are modified versions of existing weapons, building them does not violate any of Washington's nuclear treaties. Supporters of RNEPs are quick to point out that they are not new weapons, just "new capabilities." But critics fear that the research will lead to new testing, which may present Washington, D.C. with a host of diplomatic problems.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,146538,00.html
(I know it's Fox but the quote was worth it.)


Feb 18, 2005 - Rumsfeld Defends Funding for Completion of "STUDY"
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200502/s1305832.htm

[Richard Steele]

5. That article refers to NUKES, these are conventional bombs.

Just large bombs designed for maximum ground penetration, not nuclear.

[cyberpj]

7. excuse me....?

Called robust nuclear earth-penetrator, or "bunker busters", the study would examine whether a nuclear weapon can be designed to bore through concrete or rock and then detonate.

[hack89]

11. There are conventional bunker busters

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/blu-116.htm

This article is talking about the BLU-116

[Just Me]

13. So, these aren't the "mini-nukin' bunker busters"?

Could you explain the difference?

[cyberpj]

17. Thanks for the info. Took a while to read through it but

it was quite interesting.

(Messages written on bombs?)

[rzemanfl]

6. Anybody besides me think this story is a red herring?

"TNT is one of the most common bulk explosives. 2,4,6 Trinitrotoluene (TNT) is an explosive used in military munitions and in civilian mining and quarrying activities. TNT was first used on a wide scale during World War I and is still used today. The United States military stopped production of TNT in the mid-1980s."

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/explosives-nitroaromatics.htm

The old 'the wagon train is short of ammunition' ploy?

[cyberpj]

8. ...to draw attention away from.........

what?

[rzemanfl]

9. The stockpiling of bombs for Iran bombings in June. Note that

the quoted section says the U.S. stopped producing TNT about 20 years ago.

[hack89]

10. The bomb uses Tritonal for its explosive filling ..

Tritonal is a silvery solid that contains 80% of TNT and 20% of atomized aluminum powder. Tritonal is used as filler in bombs and shells

http://www.islandgroup.com/ExplosiveChemistry.html

[rzemanfl]

12. Thanks. Shows how little I know about chemistry. Still find this

story odd. Remember the aluminum bit from WWII history.

[Just Me]

15. Are you asserting that these are not the mini-nukes Rummy and the,...

,...neoCONs got funding for,...the "bunker-buster mini-nukes" that they said the funding would only be for DEVELOPMENT, NOT PRODUCTION.

Please differentiate the two with references.

Thank you.

[cyberpj]

18. Read reply #11 for detailed info. eom.

[hack89]

19. Bunker buster is a generic term

Google it and you will see. See also this link: http://www.answers.com/topic/bunker-buster

The article specifically talked about a 2000 pound bomb with a TNT based warhead - it sounds like a BLU-116 filled with Tritonal.

[buddysmellgood]

16. The article doesn't mention that the workers are all children under age 10