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Ichingcarpenter

(36,988 posts)
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 07:03 AM Jun 2014

US fired depleted uranium rounds in civilian areas during 2003 Iraq campaign

For the first time the location of several sites where the US-led coalition fired some 10,000 depleted uranium rounds were released by the Dutch Defense Ministry, and published in a study by Dutch peace group PAX.


The GPS coordinates of DU rounds were initially handed over to the Dutch Defense Ministry because the Netherlands was worried about the potential contamination of its own troops in the country. The ministry later shared the information with PAX under a freedom of information law.

Most of the firing locations remain unknown, as more than 300,000 DU rounds are believed to have been fired by US-led coalition.



Although Coalition Forces and their allies had knowledge about the use of DU during their
operations, and therefore could implement precautionary measures, demining organisations
often had little information on what type of ammunition was used and to what extent they could expect to run into cross contamination during the course of their work.


An initial assessment by
the United Nations Development Programme in 2003 outlined the following concerns with DU.
“On the 26 March 2003 the US Central Command confirmed that DU was used by
Coalition Forces. The following are the potential risks: inhalation of DU at time of the
munitions impact, widespread low level contamination of the ground surface by DU,
presence of DU penetrators or fragments which may be handled by unprotected
individuals, and the possible migration of DU into ground water. DU was reportedly
used extensively in Basrah in 1991. Environment assessments and follow on clean up
or public awareness campaigns may be required.... Sites and military equipment
targeted by DU materials will need special attention and an assessment of the hazards
caused by this material should be initiated 30.”



The lack of a clear strategy to deal with the legacy of the use of depleted uranium (DU)
munitions in Iraq, from either the Coalition Forces, the Coalition Provisional Authority
or the Iraqi government, has resulted in the continued exposure of civilians to DU.

Conservative estimates suggest that more than 440,000kg of DU was fired in both
Gulf Wars in 1991 and 2003 by the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) armed
forces. DU use has been documented against tanks, armoured vehicles, unmounted troops and
buildings in populated areas. Long after each conflict, military remnants destroyed with DU
could be found in towns, cities and rural areas.


http://www.paxvoorvrede.nl/media/files/pax-rapport-iraq-final-lowres-spread.pdf







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US fired depleted uranium rounds in civilian areas during 2003 Iraq campaign (Original Post) Ichingcarpenter Jun 2014 OP
The Guardian now has this story Ichingcarpenter Jun 2014 #1

Ichingcarpenter

(36,988 posts)
1. The Guardian now has this story
Sat Jun 21, 2014, 06:08 AM
Jun 2014

US fired depleted uranium at civilian areas in 2003 Iraq war, report finds


According to PAX's report, which is due to be published this week, the data shows that many of the DU rounds were fired in or near populated areas of Iraq, including As Samawah, Nasiriyah and Basrah. At least 1,500 rounds were also aimed at troops, the group says.

This conflicts with legal advice from the US Air Force in 1975 suggesting that DU weapons should only be used against hard targets like tanks and armoured vehicles, the report says. This advice, designed to comply with international law by minimising deaths and injuries to urban populations and troops, was largely ignored by US forces, it argues.




snip


The Democratic congressman, Jim McDermott, is now urging the US Department of Defence to publish all its DU firing coordinates. "These weapons have had terrible health ramifications for Iraqi civilians," he said. "The least the US could do is provide the specific targeting data so the Iraqi government can begin the complex clean-up process."

The US Department of Defence did not respond to a request to comment. One military source was "amazed" that the Dutch government had released sensitive targeting data.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/19/us-depleted-uranium-weapons-civilian-areas-iraq

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