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

[apostate-96.livejournal.com]

Ahhhh, but don't you see?? If their faith in Jesus is strong, they will be protected! And, if not, then they only suffer the inevitable consequences of their sins!

I understand the idea of wanting to make better weapons and armor, but using a smattering of intelligence in the process would be a good thing, too. And the really sick thing is that 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....

[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.

Depleted uranium

[tomegatheron.livejournal.com]

Until someone comes up with something that slices through armor as effectively as a heavy metal round, the armed forces will keep on using them. The Soviets had a round for a heavy rifle that used NON depleted uranium. The logic was that if it didnt kill the tank, it would kill the crew.

Re: Depleted uranium

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

I don't remember the author, but there was a scifi short story where all of the weapons of war: tanks, planes, etc. were put in a field. Everything was sprayed with oil, then sprayed with something like DU, effectively rendering them inaccessible forever.

It must have been a fantasy.

It's kind of funny how my outlook has changed in the last 25+ years. I've effectively gone from "kill 'em all and god will sort 'em out" to "give peace a chance".

[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....

Re: Depleted uranium

[apostate-96.livejournal.com]

Y'know, after you see what the actual results of the "kill 'em all" approach are, especially in terms of fellow citizens of your own country, it's a lot harder to believe in it anymore. Especially as it never really seems to work out; you can't kill 'em all. I recently had a disagreement with a friend over that, 'cause he seemed to be taking that attitude about what should be done in regard to Islam. If you think about it practically for even a few minutes, it's just not workable.

Besides, when you have friends who have kids and start thinking about them getting put in harm's way like that, it takes on a whole different meaning...