Iraq War Not Over for Junk Scientists

FoxNews/JunkScience ^ | Apr 18, 2003 | Steven Milloy

[Diddley]

The war in Iraq is pretty much over, except for junk scientists. For them, the war may continue for decades — just like Vietnam.

Two developments bear this out.

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) last week announced it would study sites in Iraq where armor-piercing weapons containing depleted uranium (DU) were used by coalition forces.

Then, a new study was published this week in the journal Nature reporting the amount of Agent Orange sprayed in Vietnam was significantly underestimated. The researchers called for more study of U.S. troops and Vietnamese civilians in the sprayed areas.

Both lines of study are baseless.

DU is used in armor piercing shells because it’s 70 percent denser than lead. While other metals flatten upon impact, DU projectiles "self-sharpen" upon penetration.

Like other metals, sufficiently high exposures to DU may produce toxic effects. DU also has a low level of radioactivity.

The U.S. and U.K. fired about 350 tons of DU munitions at Iraqi tanks during the 1991 Gulf War. Though Iraqi doctors claimed a subsequent increase in cancers and birth defects was related to DU, their assertions were never substantiated.

UNEP conducted field studies of sites struck by DU munitions during the 1990s conflicts in Bosnia and Kosovo. UNEP concluded, "DU contamination does not pose any immediate risks to human health or the environment."

Inexplicably, UNEP has now changed its tune.
"DU is still an issue of great concern for the general public. An early study in Iraq could either lay these fears to rest or confirm that there are indeed potential risks," said UNEP last week.
. . . . . . .

[Diddley]

From article,
"Despite the lack of evidence that DU causes harm, some now suggest harm may be caused by a synergistic combination of DU’s chemical toxicity and radioactive effects, according to an article in the New Scientist (April 19).

The level of dioxin measured in our Ben & Jerry’s sample is likely greater than dioxin exposures from Agent Orange among U.S. ground troops in Vietnam".

[ALS]

CENTCOM Iraqi Playing Cards SlideShow

[paulklenk]

LOVE IT!

[The Red Zone]

The U.S. and U.K. fired about 350 tons of DU munitions at Iraqi tanks during the 1991 Gulf War. Though Iraqi doctors claimed a subsequent increase in cancers and birth defects was related to DU, their assertions were never substantiated.

the environment there is so toxic with other things, i don't know how something like this could ever be proven... unless they meant the Demorat Underground then it is quite credible

[Diddley]

Demorat Underground

Sounds reasonable to me
:-)

[bybybill]

Had an uncle that was involved with the Agent Orange program for a year in Vietnam and then was a crop duster in North Dakota for 35years. Uncle Howard , except for his habit of chasing cars, was fine and showed no signs of being effected by any chemicals.

[Mark17]

Uncle Howard , except for his habit of chasing cars, was fine and showed no signs of being effected by any chemicals

I am sure I was exposed to it at least twice, when I was in Nam, and I have never had any problems either.

[donozark]

Author is inexact on many points. His dates of AO spraying in VN are incorrect. AO was perhaps the least potent of the herbicides sprayed, of which there were many. He lays the blame for all alleged health defects on "dioxin." Yet, says nothing about ARSENIC which Agent Blue contained.

Anyone who has any doubts about the lethality of ARSENIC? Step forward, but let me get my video cam going first.

Agent PINK was another deadly form of herbicide. Author seems to make a joke out of the issue. How then does he account for elevated rates of particular cancers/diabetes/birth defects (among children of VN vets)?

Perhaps he should study the soil samples taken by a Canadian firm near Alouhi Valley (near Ashau SF Camp). The most highly contaminated area in VN.

He dismisses all the scientific work done to date as "junk science." What exactly are his credentials? Has he ever been to VN? Does he know what "Indian tanks" are? Is he not aware the empty drums were used by POL points (not cleaned out first)and essentially run through most every jeep and deuce-and-a-half in VN? Is he not aware the troops in a jungle environ urinate less frequently-due to profuse sweating? This of course means any toxins are retained in critical organs.

Lastly, perhaps these elevated rates of illness aren't due to "Agent Orange." Maybe we laced our boots to tightly...Maybe some got rubbed the wrong way in a massage parlor. Maybe because it rained sideways in VN.

Laslty, CATO is a Libertarian "think tank." Harry Browne (.5 %er) would swap spit with Ho Chi Minh's fetid corpse!

[donozark]

If you were in VN, you were exposed to herbicides far more than twice. I note you were at Bien Hoa AFB. III Corps was the most heavily sprayed area of VN...followed by I Corps. I Corps received significant quantities of Agent White-used to remove foliage from triple canopy jungle. A long-term dessicator.

[Mark17]

I Corps received significant quantities of Agent White-used to remove foliage from triple canopy jungle.

Well, as I said, it does not seem to have affected me, or at least not that I know of.

[donozark]

In reviewing spray mission data, I would note 4 times as much Agent White was sprayed at Bien Hoa as Agent Orange.

Pleased you have had no apparent illness.

[donozark]

The Motto of Operation Ranch-hand was:Remember, only you can prevent forests.

Pleased you're uncle's only apparent malfunction was his propensity to chase cars. Tell me, did he ever catch one?