-Caveat Lector- "KOSOVO WAR SYNDROME" LIKELY ============================ (CNNS, 04/19/99) -- "For many years the United States has been using depleted uranium, a by-product from the production of enriched fuel for nuclear reactors and weapons, to manufacture shells, bullets and protective armour of tanks. This excess uranium, composed mainly of the uranium isotope U-238 is called 'depleted' because it has a lower than normal content of the isotope U-235, the fissionable material. But it has one very 'excellent' property; it is extremely dense and capable of penetrating heavily armored vehicles." [1] This means that a depleted uranium (DU) shell will go through a tank's armor like a hot knife through butter. That's why, since about 1990, it's become the latest craze in war. Besides dropping "cluster bombs" on Yugoslavia, NATO is also using these depleted uranium shells in its current "conflict." "The broader public is mostly uninformed about the fact that 30-millimetre ammunition fired by the GAU-8A gun mounted on the American A-10 aircraft, contains depleted uranium and that it is on the list of the ammunition which has been prohibited by the Geneva Convention, as are cluster bombs, sources in the Konghill Laboratories in Great Britain have stated..." [2] "The pointed bullet made from depleted uranium in a plastic casing which significantly increases its penetrating power, is also used in the manufacture of warheads for the 'Tomahawk' cruise missiles, which are used for the destruction of concrete facilities." [3] The explosion of these DU shells "creates uranium oxide which is dispersed into particles the size of 0.5 to 5 microns, which, if carried by the wind may be dispersed to areas hundreds of kilometres away from the site." [4] "It has also been pointed out that the life period of that substance is about one million years and that it cannot be removed from the body, exposing to radiation caused diseases and the possibility of an early death not only the people who are shot by it, but also the persons who handle that dangerous ammunition." [5] Something to think about: will your son or daughter be handling depleted uranium shells soon? Are they doing so already?? After the Vietnam War, there was a mysterious illness plaguing returning veterans; the Pentagon stonewalled for years before it finally admitted the toxic effects had been caused by Agent Orange. After the Persian Gulf War, many U.S. veterans also suffered from a mysterious illness, called Gulf War Syndrome. But Washington, DC is again stonewalling about what it is. The Project Censored 1997 Yearbook lists the link between use of depleted uranium shells during the Gulf War and the Gulf War Syndrome as one of its "Top 25 Censored Stories of 1997." [6] Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark has called for a ban on the use of DU weapons, calling them "an unacceptable threat to life, a violation of international law and an assault on human dignity." According to Clark, "Of the 697,000 U.S. troops who served in the Gulf, over 90,000 have reported medical problems. Symptoms include respiratory, liver and kidney dysfunction, memory loss, headaches, fever, low blood pressure. There are birth defects among their newborn children. DU is a leading suspect for a portion of these ailments. The effects on the population living in Iraq are far greater. Under pressure, the Pentagon has been forced to acknowledge Gulf War Syndrome, but they are still stonewalling any connection to DU." [7] "After the war in Bosnia, during which NATO also used depleted uranium ammunition in its attacks, there has been a rise in the recorded number of cases of leukemia in the areas where A-10 aircraft had been involved." [8] Since its beginning in 1942, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's metallurgical lab, the Starmet Corporation "has continued to be a leader in new materials development and innovative technology serving the global marketplace." The Starmet Corporation manufactures depleted uranium (DU) ammunition. Indeed, boasts Starmet at their web site, "Starmet's low cost DU manufacturing capabilities make it one of the leading suppliers of low cost ammunition for U.S. government weapons systems. Our anti-armor tank penetrator munitions helped bring a quick conclusion to the Desert Storm conflict." [9] Will we be seeing, in the not-too-distant future, widespread occurrences of a "Kosovo War Syndrome," secretly caused by the continued use of these depleted uranium weapons? Will our soldiers, returning from Kosovo, first be given a heroes' welcome, but then get tossed on the slag heap by actually indifferent Washington leaders? Our ill soldier-heroes of the Gulf War were told they were just "imagining things" when they began showing up at Veteran's Administration hospitals. It seems likely that returning soldiers of the Kosovo "conflict," suffering from terrifying disease, will also be flushed down the toilet. ---------------------------<< Notes >>--------------------------- [1] "A New Kind of Nuclear War," by Dr. Helen Caldicott. From book, *Metal of Dishonor*. Available from International Action Center. For more information, call 212-633-6646, fax 212-633-2889 or e-mail to mailbox [EMAIL PROTECTED] [2] "NATO Uses Prohibited Ammunition." 4/18/99 www.serbia-info.com/news [3] Ibid. [4] Ibid. [5] Ibid. [6] *Project Censored Yearbook: 1997*. http://censored.sonoma.edu/ProjectCensored [7] "An International Appeal to Ban the Use of Depleted Uranium Weapons," drafted by Ramsey Clark. [8] "NATO Uses Prohibited Ammunition." 4/18/99 www.serbia-info.com/news [9] From the Starmet Corporation web site. -- CNNS (Conspiracy Nation News Service) is an INDEPENDENT news outlet, not owned by anyone. (But of course, we would say that, wouldn't we?) BEWARE THE CFR! BEWARE THE CIA! BEWARE THE KNIGHTS! http://www.shout.net/~bigred/cn.html http://www.shout.net/~bigred/cnns.html DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. 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