One of the legacies of the Vietnam War is the now infamous quote from an American military press officer,"we had to destroy the village in order to save it." Rings some bells these days. In the name of "fighting terror," countries with secret weapons programs are poised to pulverize Iraq because of its secret weapons programs. And Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) are being used against civilians in order to prevent WMD from being used against civilians.
Case in point: the American military's ongoing use of depleted uranium (DU), despite numerous independent studies warning of DU's toxic-radioactive effects. Research conducted six months before the Gulf War found that short-term high doses of DU could result in death and long-term low doses could lead to cancer. Regardless, American forces used DU weapons in the 1991 Gulf war, the 1999 Balkan conflict, and the recent hostilities in Afghanistan. It can be assumed that DU weaponry will be used in any upcoming attack on Iraq as well.
The implications are staggering. The Geneva Conventions clearly ban weapons that continue to kill or cause genetic effects after the fighting ends, not to mention weapons that unduly damage the natural environment. DU fails miserably on each count. And DU makes no distinction between friend and foe - its victims include local civilians as well as service members sent abroad to fight.
Case in point: the American military's ongoing use of depleted uranium (DU), despite numerous independent studies warning of DU's toxic-radioactive effects. Research conducted six months before the Gulf War found that short-term high doses of DU could result in death and long-term low doses could lead to cancer. Regardless, American forces used DU weapons in the 1991 Gulf war, the 1999 Balkan conflict, and the recent hostilities in Afghanistan. It can be assumed that DU weaponry will be used in any upcoming attack on Iraq as well.
The implications are staggering. The Geneva Conventions clearly ban weapons that continue to kill or cause genetic effects after the fighting ends, not to mention weapons that unduly damage the natural environment. DU fails miserably on each count. And DU makes no distinction between friend and foe - its victims include local civilians as well as service members sent abroad to fight.