FW: [ RadSafe ] Apologies regarding DU

[Kent, Michael D.]

I have read with particular dismay as this drags on, but now I will add
my take on this.

In MY OWN OPINION this is a simple issue.  When in war you decide how to
maximize the enemies casualties and minimize your own.  Pure and simple.
You do not care about clean up afterwards, because if you lose, you will
probably not be around to care.  Many weapons every country uses has
dangerous side effects (see nearly every battlefield of the 20th
Century, unexploded munitions, mines, etc.) When buildings are bombed,
these buildings may have numerous chemicals, that when burned, produce
terrible long term side effects for many people in the surrounding area.
Mr. Salsman, do you also think therefore building should not be bombed.


Mr. Salsman, you appear to be anti-war.  In this republic that is fine,
but this is not an anti-war web site.  I have read some of your
literature, and some of the opposing literature.  

Having been in a technical program of the military, I have found that
the people are of the highest caliber, have integrity, and if an issue
came up that they thought endangered our soldiers, they would speak up.
I have done this and seen it performed many times.  The situation was
resolved to my satisfaction.  I also have known people who left the
military on not-so-good terms, and these people seem to have nothing
nice to say about the military.  This is not to say that these people
who have left do not have integrity, but maybe how they look at things
is jaded by their past experiences (glass half full, half empty).

So I believe it boils down to you have your beliefs and other people
have theirs, and that in the end, you and the other people should agree
to disagree and move on.  I read an article once that I think is
appropriate here:

"I have finally come to understand that I can't convince you, or anyone
else, of anything. We each choose what we believe, and then we believe
what we choose, and one reinforces the other. The best that I could
possibly hope for is to provoke thought, which I can never do if I
discount you, because you become deaf to my words."

This issued has provoked thought and unfortunately more (on to the
discounting part).  Now can the list please move on.

Sincerely,

Michael D. Kent

My views only, and this post does not reflect my employers.



-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On
Behalf Of James Salsman
Sent: Friday, March 03, 2006 8:45 AM
To: radsafe at radlab.nl
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Apologies regarding DU

I am sorry that my government has not yet been able to hire staff
responsible for evaluating the safety of depleted uranium weapons
capable of measuring gas condensates of the combustion products.

I am sorry that my government has not been able to offer victims of
uranium inhalation poisoning appropriate medical care for the
toxicological details of their exposure.

I am sorry that my government and its staff has produced so much
propaganda suppressing the fact that depleted uranium burns to produce
poison gas.

I am sorry that my government has hired people who think the use of a
powerful weapon which has been known likely to lead to congenital
malformations in the civilian families of the exposed is in any way
representative of courage, personal, or professional responsibility.

I am sorry that my government has hired people who address only their
personal emotional reaction to the issues I raise, including vague
threats of legal action, instead of the questions involved.

I am not sorry that there are still people like Dr. Johnson, who though
they may have participated in a serious mistake, are still willing to
take the personal and professional responsibility to support scientific
measurements to resolve and help correct the problem, instead of
complaining about my opinion of their honor.

Sincerely,
James Salsman

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