The unexpected results of the aggression against Yugoslavia.
All over the Europe stories are coming in about cases of various forms of cancer amongst soldiers who were present during the war….
What’s it all about ?
The bright young things that earn a comfortable living out of designing weapons had a super idea, "Cool !"; they said to each other, or perhaps, "What a spiffing idea!" "Why not use a by product from making atomic bombs and fuel, depleted uranium, to make even better armour piercing shells ? "Neat !" they cried, "That way we will not only kill better, but we make good use of a by product, creating even more money for our masters, leading to bigger Christmas bonuses and, who knows, perhaps even career improvements!"
They were happy little bunnies. After all, they very seldom went on holiday in Yugoslavia these days, the Seychelles were so much more … select, and non radioactive.
For details, the BBC once more… It’s worth the read, here are a few quotes…
NB. DU = depleted uranium.
BBC -
Thursday, 4 January 2001, 22:20 GMT
"It is mildly radioactive in its solid form, and poses little if any cause for concern. But it is a very heavy substance, 1.7 times denser than lead, and it is highly valued by armies for its ability to punch through armoured vehicles.
When a weapon made with a DU tip or core strikes a solid object, like the side of a tank, it goes straight through it and then erupts in a burning cloud of vapour."
From the
same article :
"Several years ago a report by the US Army Environmental Policy Institute said: "If DU enters the body, it has the potential to generate significant medical consequences. The risks associated with DU in the body are both chemical and radiological. Personnel inside or near vehicles struck by DU penetrators could receive significant internal exposures."
It is not clear whether this warning reached all the troops serving in Kosovo, during and after the war, or whether it was intended to reach them.
It certainly did not reach civilians there or in Iraq. Yet they are as exposed to any harmful effects of DU as the troops themselves."
The benefits of an enlarged Europe
BBC again :
"Six Italian soldiers who had been on peace missions to the former Yugoslavia have died of leukemia, while France says four of its soldiers are being treated for the illness.
The BBC has discovered that a former British Army engineer, Kevin Rudland, is also suffering from symptoms of what is being referred to as Balkan War Syndrome.
Mr Rudland has lost his hair, suffers from chronic fatigue and has severe bowel problems after apparently coming into contact with depleted uranium dust while serving in Bosnia."
"Be the first one on the block to see your boy come home in a box …" or, rather, develop an unexpected bowel problem, not related to excessive lager, just when you were feeling relieved that he got through it alright.
Of course no one worries much about the civilians, it was all their fault anyway.
Updated 10/1/2001