Isaac Zimmerman of the Uranium Medical Research Centre is a research assistant for Dr. Durakovic and a co-author of many of the organization's studies. He told the WSWS: "The 442nd was a military police unit and I don't believe they saw active combat. All of the nine soldiers that we tested were sick. Four tested positive for DU and six or seven came back with Uranium 236, which does not exist in nature, and is only produced in a nuclear reaction process.
"The military is continuing to drop DU. I don't think anybody really knows, not even the military, how many tons have been dropped. One researcher in England estimates some 1,700 tons, which is a lot more than what the military claims. We have also tested a number of civilians in Iraq and found that a significant number are contaminated.
During the Persian Gulf War, Depleted Uranium was used in anti-tank armor piercing projectiles and in tank armor plating to increase, respectively, penetration capability and resistance to penetration. DU is still very radiotoxic and is highly pyrogenic when ignited, which happens when artillery shells are fired. The intense, searing flame caused by ignition of the uranium not only aids in penetration of tank armor, but also liberates the uranium into the environment making it available for internal contamination via inhalation and ingestion. Tanks made of DU armor and hit by DU shells also ignite in this way creating the same effect, i.e. friendly fire.
Depleted Uranium enters the body via inhalation, ingestion, and absorption through open wounds or imbedded shrapnel. Uranium is water soluble and can be transported throughout the body. The alpha particle release by decay of the uranium atom gives up large amount energy in a distance no larger than a couple of microns. Causing breaks and ionization of molecules, it is capable of destroying proteins, enzymes, RNA, and damaging DNA in many different ways, including double strand breaks.
This kind of damage in the reproductive organs can lead to genetic hazards which can be passed on from generation to generation. Soluble uranium compounds cause mainly chemical damage to the proximal convoluted tubules of the kidney.
DU is incorporated into bones where it can have menagopetic effects as well as causing leukemia. In the lung, GU damages the alveoli.
Since DU can cross the placenta, it can create massive problems for the radiosensitive tissues of the fetus. Damage to the fetus may lead to somatic [body] malformation including shortened limbs, damage to the CNS, cardiovascular, and muscular problems.
Other effects associated with DU poisoning are: emotional and mental deterioration, fatigue, loss of bowel and bladder control, as well as numerous forms of cancer. Such symptoms are increasing showing up in Iraq's children and among Gulf War veterans and their offspring.
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extensive links and article at KWSnet Apr.22.04
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National Gulf War Resource Center
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bio of Dr. Asaf Durakovic at interactorg.com (link to NGWRC is broken)
