[ RadSafe ] The DU Myth and the European Parliament

[James Salsman]

Roger,

Thank you for your assertion:

>... members of Parliament have bought completely into the myth....

On the contrary, there are far more dangerous myths about depleted
uranium issuing from your keyboard than from the European Parlament.

MYTH:  Uranium smoke inhalation does not lead to increases in birth defects.

FACT:  This is proven among all on this list but those who have shown
that they have incorrect understanding of uranyl genotoxicity and are
not willing to spend $31.50 to update their understanding from the
most recent reviews in the peer-reviewed literature.

MYTH:  There was no increase in the incidence of birth defects among
those potentially exposed to uranium smoke and effluents from the
300,000+ Kg of uranium which has been used in Iraq and Bosnia.

FACT:  There were huge increases in birth defects among combat troops
of the February, 1991 Gulf War, including U.S. troops (220% increase
in females, according to Dr. Han Kang of the Veterans Administration),
U.K. troops, the people of Basra, which drew its drinking water from
streams contaminated by smoke condensate rain water runoff effluents,
and Kuwaitis, who are all also seeing an increase in immunological
problems.

MYTH:  There are no viable alternatives to depleted uranium in munitions.

FACT:  The U.S. Navy switched to tungsten in the late '90s.  Tungsten
is not pyrophoric, and not teratogenic -- acting off the battlefield
-- like depleted uranium, but some alloy formulations are
carcinogenic.

Which would you rather be hurt in a war, the troops or their kids?

Your defense of D.U. munitions is nothing but a cowardly impulse. What
conduct is more unbecoming save an attack on your own men?

I repeat my challenge to you, to a debate, in public, among impartial
citizens, with audiovisual recording.

James Salsman