NATO Using Nuclear Weapons in Libya

[Frank_Carbonni]

Originally Posted by ted08721

Depleted Uranium (DU) is a toxic, radioactive heavy metal that is the waste byproduct of the uranium enrichment process when producing nuclear weapons and uranium for nuclear reactors. Because this radioactive waste is plentiful and 1.7 times more dense than lead, the United States government uses DU in munitions/ammunition which are extremely effective at piercing armored vehicles. However, every round of DU ammunition leaves a residue of DU dust on everything it hits, contaminating the surrounding area with toxic waste that has a half-life of 4.5 billion years, the age of our solar system, and turns every battlefield and firing range into a toxic waste site that poisons everyone in such areas. DU dust can be inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through scratches in the skin. DU is linked to DNA damage, cancer, birth defects, and multiple other health problems. The United Nations classifies Depleted Uranium ammunitions as illegal Weapons of Mass Destruction because of their long-term impact on the land over which they are used and the long-term health problems they cause when people are exposed to them.

A few things:

1) Depleted Uranium is not that radioactive. Hence the "depleted" part of the name. Most of the really radioactive isotopes have been removed due to processing.

2) Yes, depleted uranium is toxic. So is lead which is used in bullets and so is tungsten (which is actually more toxic) which is what depleted uranium has replaced as an anti-armor weapon.

[GradyBaaBaa]

Originally Posted by Toyman at Jewel Lake

I've seen some pretty ignorant articles with regards to weapons related issues, written by people with little knowledge of what they are talking about. The link in the OP....right at the top of the list.

Depleted uranium is a very hard, dense metal, no more, no less. That density helps penetrate "hardened" objects, such as tank armor. It is not a friggin' nuclear bomb.

I disagree with our involvement in Lybia, but articles based on ignorance don't help make a case.

Yeah, but there is a thing called DUD, depleted uranium dust. Its a by-product of lobbing DU rounds. The libbies protested against DU rounds in the past, but have probably forgot all about the issue when their 4-20 parties started...

[Dane_in_LA]

Originally Posted by ted08721

However, every round of DU ammunition leaves a residue of DU dust on everything it hits, contaminating the surrounding area with toxic waste that has a half-life of 4.5 billion years, the age of our solar system,

Ehm - high half-life means low radiation intensity and vice versa. Using isotopes with a low half-life as munitions would cause a much, much higher radiation hazard. Didn't you guys take Physics?

The United Nations classifies Depleted Uranium ammunitions as illegal Weapons of Mass Destruction because of their long-term impact on the land over which they are used and the long-term health problems they cause when people are exposed to them.

I rather doubt that. Citation?

[subsound]

Originally Posted by ted08721

Depleted Uranium (DU) is a toxic, radioactive heavy metal that is the waste byproduct of the uranium enrichment process when producing nuclear weapons and uranium for nuclear reactors. Because this radioactive waste is plentiful and 1.7 times more dense than lead, the United States government uses DU in munitions/ammunition which are extremely effective at piercing armored vehicles. However, every round of DU ammunition leaves a residue of DU dust on everything it hits, contaminating the surrounding area with toxic waste that has a half-life of 4.5 billion years, the age of our solar system, and turns every battlefield and firing range into a toxic waste site that poisons everyone in such areas. DU dust can be inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through scratches in the skin. DU is linked to DNA damage, cancer, birth defects, and multiple other health problems. The United Nations classifies Depleted Uranium ammunitions as illegal Weapons of Mass Destruction because of their long-term impact on the land over which they are used and the long-term health problems they cause when people are exposed to them.

You do know all these claims are from a guy named Doug Rokke, a well known debunked crank that pretends to be a nuclear physicist...but has a PhD in education methodology. He is repeatedly featured on Alex Jones, whose fashion sense includes tin foil headgear.

[Wapasha]

Originally Posted by oz in SC

LOL...can't wait to see how the leftist droids who complained bitterly over the use of DU in Iraq and Afghanistan think it now is okay to use by their boy Obama in Libya....

Libya is an unneccesary war, a war of choice, a war that 0bama made a unilateral decision to drag us into, and the left is fine with this?? Sycophantic, boot licking, sheeple.

[oz in SC]

Originally Posted by Wapasha

Libya is an unneccesary war, a war of choice, a war that 0bama made a unilateral decision to drag us into, and the left is fine with this?? Sycophantic, boot licking, sheeple.

Just faithful to the party and it's leader....

[Pretzelogik]

Originally Posted by ted08721

In all forms, DU is radioactive and chemically toxic, thus conforming to Hague's poisonous weapons definition. Using them is thus a war crime.

NATO Using Nuclear Weapons in Libya | War Is A Crime .org

NATO has become a similar entity to the UN....useless as t _ _ s on a boar hog.

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by ted08721

Depleted Uranium (DU) is a toxic, radioactive heavy metal that is the waste byproduct of the uranium enrichment process when producing nuclear weapons and uranium for nuclear reactors. Because this radioactive waste is plentiful and 1.7 times more dense than lead, the United States government uses DU in munitions/ammunition which are extremely effective at piercing armored vehicles. However, every round of DU ammunition leaves a residue of DU dust on everything it hits, contaminating the surrounding area with toxic waste that has a half-life of 4.5 billion years, the age of our solar system, and turns every battlefield and firing range into a toxic waste site that poisons everyone in such areas. DU dust can be inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through scratches in the skin. DU is linked to DNA damage, cancer, birth defects, and multiple other health problems. The United Nations classifies Depleted Uranium ammunitions as illegal Weapons of Mass Destruction because of their long-term impact on the land over which they are used and the long-term health problems they cause when people are exposed to them.

The 1/2 life of DU is moot given it's barely radioactive. It IS a heavy metal.

I personally don't support DU usage but the threat of DU is wayyyyyyy overblown. Where do you think all those cancerous particulants from your muffler go? They coat the whole planet.

How Iraq War Might Scar Environment - ABC News

DU exposure tends to be localized to the vicinity right around impact points.

If you have a link to a reasonable study as to the extent (size of area etc.) that DU harms things I would be happy to read it.

Again, I don't support DU but I personally feel that it's somewhat of the "catch all" boogeyman for gulf war health issues....often with political overtones.