Depleted Uranium — made to kill

by Mati English

In the news recently a soldier in full radiation protection gear was shown 
taking readings for contamination from depleted uranium (DU) weapons in a 
Yugoslav village, while nearby young children watched the procedure in t-
shirts and bare feet. The image spoke volumes about the ruthlessness and 
inhumanity of US aggression and militarism.

But DU doesn't discriminate: while it has brought misery and death to 
civilian populations, it has also claimed many of the soldiers from the 
invading and occupying forces of the US and its allies.

On January 15, NATO spokesman Mark Leighty said on the Greek TV channel 
Alter: "Weapons are made to kill people. That is their purpose. Depleted 
uranium is an effective weapon and was used by NATO in order to correct a 
big problem in Kosovo. Yes, of course it is dangerous. But the main thing 
is that weapons should be effective. It is a very effective weapon and it 
helped NATO to bring back in one way freedom to the people of Kosovo, which 
they did not have before. In that way, we are not ashamed that the depleted 
uranium is dangerous."

DU shells were first used during the Gulf War, leaving legacy of spiralling 
cancer rates in Iraq, deformities in babies and general, widespread health 
problems.

From that war came the term, "Gulf War Syndrome", used to describe a 
condition that has struck down many of the military personnel who were sent 
to the Gulf, a condition and term which the US and its allies refused to 
recognise, or accept responsibility for.

This is despite the fact that the US Surgeon General had warned of the 
dangers of DU munitions. The US military chose to ignore the warnings.

British Gulf War veterans' organisation says that 521 veterans of the 1991 
war have died and more than 5,000 now suffer various debilitating and fatal 
illnesses, such as leukemia.

Of the 697,000 US troops who went to the Gulf, some 130,000 have reported 
medical problems ranging from respiratory, liver and kidney dysfunction, 
memory loss, headaches, fever, low blood pressure, and birth defects among 
their newborn children.

Balkans conflict

The war in the Balkans saw the use of depleted uranium again. In 1995, 
Bosnia was shelled with DU bombs. They are still lying around some towns 
and villages.

So-called peace-keepers never bothered to warn the locals about the dangers 
from the radiation. Cases of cancer among the population are on the 
increase.

In the airstrikes on Bosnia in 1994-95 about 10,800 rounds containing DU 
were fired in and around the capital Sarajevo.

The Pentagon says 31,000 rounds were fired during the 1999 war over Kosovo.

The destruction of the civilian infrastructure in Belgrade and other cities 
and towns would not have been possible without the use of DU shells. 
Contamination of the soil, air and water is the result.

There are some reports which indicate that Israel may have used DU shells 
against Palestinian targets.

Hiding the truth

Alarm bells started ringing when former and serving soldiers started to die 
— and European countries (except Britain) demanded answers.

At first NATO flatly denied any health problems caused by DU.

NATO has been trying to contain growing tensions among its members and 
limit the political fallout. But in the face of the growing death toll and 
reports flooding in of further cases of soldiers from different countries 
displaying symptoms, it is becoming more difficult to evade responsibility.

What NATO describes as "hysteria" is turning into a strong anti-war, anti-
NATO sentiment.

Greek soldiers ask to return

One hundred and forty two Greek soldiers, members of NATO force KFOR in 
Yugoslavia, submitted petitions asking to return from Kosovo to Greece. The 
Greek force in Kosovo is 1,500 soldiers and officers.

The Coordination Committee of Parents of Soldiers Serving in the Greek Army 
(which was set up during the war against Yugoslavia) published a statement 
demanding the withdrawal of the Greek force from Kosovo, the transfer of 
all Greek students from Yugoslavia to Greek universities to be paid for by 
the USA, NATO and European Union because of their responsibility for the 
human and environmental casualties.

NATO out of Balkans

"The struggle against NATO is a struggle for life." That was the overall 
slogan for numerous demonstrations that took place in cities and towns 
across Greece.

Thousands of protestors — among them young and old, trade unionists, peace 
movement members, students, lawyers for peace, pensioners, clergymen, 
mothers with children, students who study in Yugoslavia, took part in those 
protests.

In Athens, a delegation of soldiers dressed in uniform also took part.

"They all united and shouted: `We won't fight for USA — Germany'; `The 
Greek soldiers are not for sacrifice, bring them back from Yugoslavia", 
reported the International Department of KNE, the Communist Youth of 
Greece.