Democratic Underground - Charred corpses after Western strikes on Tripoli. Depleted Uranium: A strange way to protect #Libya

Charred corpses after Western strikes on Tripoli
By Khaled al-Ramahi and Zohra Bensemra

TRIPOLI, March 24 | Thu Mar 24, 2011 7:08am EDT

(Reuters) - Eighteen Libyans killed by what officials say were Western air strikes and missile attacks in the capital Tripoli lay in a hospital morgue, some charred beyond recognition.

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"They are civilians. They are not guilty of anything," said morgue worker Abdel Salaam.

His associates, wearing surgical masks to ease the stench of death, rolled some bodies into numbered refrigeration units.

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Some were burned beyond recognition. Others seemed frozen in time by the blasts. One man appeared to be pointing his finger just before death. A wedding ring was visible on another man's hand.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/24/libya-deaths-idUSSGE72N03920110324

Wait until the depleted uranium kicks in. Then they'll be really *grateful*.

iRevolt Roqayah
In the first 24 hours of the Libyan attack, US B-2s dropped forty-five 2,000lb bombs, all containing depleted uranium warheads. #Libya
13 seconds ago Favorite Retweet Reply

iRevolt Roqayah
Depleted Uranium: A strange way to protect #Libyan civilians http://bit.ly/dPX5Lz
7 minutes ago

Depleted uranium: a strange way to protect Libyan civilians
By David Wilson
Stop the War Coalition
24 March 2011

"(Depleted uranium tipped missiles) fit the description of a dirty bomb in every way... I would say that it is the perfect weapon for killing lots of people." Marion Falk, chemical physicist (retd), Lawrence Livermore Lab, California, USA

In the first 24 hours of the Libyan attack, US B-2s dropped forty-five 2,000-pound bombs. These massive bombs, along with the Cruise missiles launched from British and French planes and ships, all contained depleted uranium (DU) warheads.

DU is the waste product from the process of enriching uranium ore. It is used in nuclear weapons and reactors. Because it is a very heavy substance, 1.7 times denser than lead, it is highly valued by the military for its ability to punch through armored vehicles and buildings. When a weapon made with a DU tip strikes a solid object like the side of a tank, it goes straight through it, then erupts in a burning cloud of vapor. The vapor settles as dust, which is not only poisonous, but also radioactive.

An impacting DU missile burns at 10,000 degrees C. When it strikes a target, 30% fragments into shrapnel. The remaining 70% vaporises into three highly-toxic oxides, including uranium oxide. This black dust remains suspended in the air and, according to wind and weather, can travel over great distances. If you think Iraq and Libya are far away, remember that radiation from Chernobyl reached Wales.

Particles less than 5 microns in diameter are easily inhaled and may remain in the lungs or other organs for years. Internalized DU can cause kidney damage, cancers of the lung and bone, skin disorders, neurocognitive disorders, chromosome damage, immune deficiency syndromes and rare kidney and bowel diseases. Pregnant women exposed to DU may give birth to infants with genetic defects. Once the dust has vaporised, don't expect the problem to go away soon. As an alpha particle emitter, DU has a half life of 4.5 billion years.

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http://stopwar.org.uk/content/view/2321/27/

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