U.S. soldiers suffering horrible effects from depleted uranium

[thewayne]

Good time to downsize the Veteran's Administration, Georgie! I did not know they were using DU for armor. That is such a bad idea that words fail me.

http://www.wired.com/news/wireservice/0,71585-0.html

Comments

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

I definitely agree with "the assholes responsible for that utterly fucked-up decision will never stand trial or suffer any real or appropriate consequences for having ruined a shitload of lives". Thanks, Bush & Rummy!

I have always had a heavy interest in military weapons and armor. And I appreciate the need to improve such. But with the (current) demise of the USSR and Warsaw Pact, who else are we going to get into a war with? If we fight China, it'll be a Navy/Air war unless it's through a proxy country. Who else has a significant number of tanks?

As effective as it is (and as much as I love the A-10 Warthog!), I don't see a need for DU anymore. The environmental and personal costs are just too high. They need a world-wide ban on DU, just like the one on land mines. Of course, the US won't sign it, just like the land mine treaty, but it would be nice.

[apostate-96.livejournal.com]

Especially given the long-term costs of it. That article cited a half-life of billions of years, indicating that the dust from DU will constitute a hazard to life on this planet for pretty much as long as there's going to be life here. It also makes for pretty severe long-term negative effects on the civilian population that has to live there afterward, especially in countries to that don't have the technology and/or financial resources to clean those sites up.

And I'm not surprised they wouldn't want to sign. Giving up such a strong military asset (when the consequences are ignored, as they currently seem to be), would probably be perceived as worse than suicidal to our current administration. Who cares how many we ned up poisoning, so long as we can still kick ass?

Bush sometimes makes me ashamed of being a Texan, y'know?

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

Bush sometimes makes me ashamed to be a homo sapien!

And unfortunately my previous job was directly attributable to him via No Child Left Behind, which is, in and of itself, a joke.

[apostate-96.livejournal.com]

And unfortunately my previous job was directly attributable to him via No Child Left Behind, which is, in and of itself, a joke.

Y'know, if the focus of the program was actually making sure that all kids got good basic education in regard to how to read, do math, think, etc, I wouldn't have a problem with it. However, when it's essentially become making sure they're taught how to pass the tests, then it turns into even worse/less than a joke....