I've heard that its a big scandal thats just beeing swept under the rug. We use radioactive depleted uranium in our warheads and tank shells. Its one of the heaviest materials so it goes through tanks and makes more damage, so thats obviously its military advantage, but it also has a half life of hundreds of thousands of years and contaminates everything including our own soldiers, not to mention innocent civilians in the countries they're used. Gulf war sindrome is the first illness attributed to its use among our soldiers. Anyway, without recaping the whole of the information, what have you heard if anything? As far as I can tell this is a very well kept secret.
2006-08-20 08:47:05 · 6 answers · asked by Hans B 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
Yes, and while the Gulfwar syndrome has hurt many people who were in the military at the time our government refuses to give the soldiers any recognition or health aid in dealing with it. I was told after leaving the service to stay away from the Veterans Hospitals for twenty years, at the end of that time, if I was having problems they would help me. I did and they are. Somehow this message is not going out to other veterans anymore?
2006-08-20 08:59:25 · answer #1 · answered by Marcus R. 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
DEPLETED uranium. It has no radioactivity, or radioactivity so low that it is inconsequential (as in - the microwave oven at a restaurant produces as much or more radiation.)
Depleted uranium has a half-life of billions of years. This means that it decays so slowly, that it can hardly be measured. Think of it like a poison that takes 135 years to cause any ill effects, and another 50 years to finally kill you.
Gulf war syndrome is puzzling, but to blame it on depleted uranium is just not correct. Many of those with symptoms of Gulf War syndrome never had any contact with depleted uranium. In fact, many sufferers of similar syndromes didn't even go to the Gulf.
2006-08-20 09:11:06 · answer #2 · answered by Polymath 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to understand what depleted Uranium is. There are two isotopes of Uranium, 235, and 238. Both have the same number of protons, but the 235 has three fewer neutrons, which causes it to be unstable. (radioactive)
Natural uranium contains 0.7205% of the U-235, the fissile isotope of uranium. Nuclear reactor fuel rods need to have around 3% U-235, so uranium must be processed to extract the U-235 from some of the material, so it can be concentrated in the remainder. The NON-RADIOACTIVE U-238 that is left is what's called depleted uranium.
(BTW, bomb grade material must be 95% U-235, minimum.)
2006-08-20 08:53:34 · answer #3 · answered by Jay S 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
it is very true, and the gulf war syndrome is just one result. since 1992 the cases of leukemia and cancers especially between children increased more than 35 folds, and have unusual symptoms.
i think these weapons although used in Lebanon from the Israel army
2006-08-20 08:59:09 · answer #4 · answered by drnael2000 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It not only makes you sick but also makes sure you don't have kids. This is going to skrew up the DNA for kids of Iraqis and US soldiers for centuries to come. Here are some of the changes that we can actually see.
2006-08-22 08:46:50 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is not a secret at all...
You are just not very well informed...
2006-08-20 08:58:41 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋