[ RadSafe ] Findings of enriched U in Fallujah and elsewhere

[Steven Dapra]

Oct. 23

         The authors of the paper quoted were trying to make a case 
for "war contaminants" causing health problems.  Since Agent Orange 
(dioxin) is purported to have caused health problems, they dragged it 
into the paper.

         I have noticed that much of the apologetic of radiophobes 
and chemophobes consists of guilt by association.  Agent Orange was a 
war contaminant that is alleged to have caused health problems.  DU 
is also a war contaminant, hence it too causes health 
problems.  (Other than chloracne, I do not buy into the claim that 
Agent Orange has caused the health problems attributed to it.)  Under 
some circumstances, guilt by association may have some merit.  In the 
present instance (DU) it more than likely does not.

Steven Dapra


At 03:16 PM 10/23/2011, you wrote:
>The reference to "The devastating reproductive health effects of dioxins (the
>major contaminant of Agent Orange) on the Vietnamese people is well 
>known", is
>at once intriguing and confusing.  Agent Orange was used as a defoliant in
>Vietnam.  Clearly the US did not use Agent Orange in Iraq, or even need a
>defoliant in the predominantly desert nations of Iraq.  This is not 
>to say that
>there aren't plenty of local Iraq domestic source of dioxins.  Open 
>burning of
>plastic, 
>see  http://www.dioxinfacts.org/sources_trends/trash_burning.html, in
>trash pits and barrels has long been known to be a source of dioxins.  Given
>that the US didn't use dioxins in Iraq, and that the local Iraqis' generate
>dioxins domestically I don't understand why Agent Orange was 
>mentioned without
>exploring the domestic cause and effects of of dioxins.
>
>Roy Herren
>
>
>________________________________
>From: Roger Helbig <rwhelbig at gmail.com>
>To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List
><radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu>
>Sent: Fri, October 21, 2011 6:37:58 PM
>Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Findings of enriched U in Fallujah and elsewhere

[edit]

>Many known war contaminants have the potential to interfere with
>normal embryonic and fetal
>development. The devastating reproductive health effects of dioxins
>(the major contaminant of Agent Orange) on the Vietnamese people is
>well known.

[edit]