Page 38 - 201002 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - February 2010

February 2010_june_july_2009.qxd 18/02/2010 9:04 AM Page 38 38 Dr. Doug Rokke on Depleted Uranium Former Director of the U.S. Army's Depleted Uranium Project reveals toxic effects of America's Military Operations Dr. Doug Rokke, PhD. After more than 5 years of unprovoked and unjustified war in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Balkans, and Somalia the use of uranium weapons -- the perfect "dirty bomb" and consequent destruction of each nation's infrastructure, has released all kinds of toxic materials turning these nations into a toxic wastelands. Consequently the number of casualties continues to escalate while U.S. and British officials arrogantly refuse to comply with their own regulations, orders, and directives that require provide prompt and effective medical care to "all" exposed individuals and to clean up all environmental I am amazed that seventeen years after (WIA) and at least 4000 have no been killed in contamination . was I asked to clean-up the initial uranium action (KIA). Obviously the majority of all Reference: Medical Management of weapons mess from Gulf War 1 and that over casualties are classified as "disease and non- Unusual Depleted Uranium Casualties, DOD, twelve years since I finished the depleted battle injuries" (DNBI) and unrelated to actual Pentagon, 10/14/93, Medical Management of uranium project that United States Department combat actions but are related to the complex Army personnel Exposed to Depleted Uranium of Defense officials and others still attempt to toxic exposures. While Army Times editors (DU) Headquarters, U.S. Army Medical justify uranium munitions use. How can the report that 89,360 Iraqis have been killed other Command 29 April 2004, U.S. Army leaders of the United States and England claim estimates range from 600,00 to more than 1 Regulation- AR 700-48: "Management of to be acting to provide "freedom" to the citizens million. Equipment Contaminated With Depleted of nations we invaded, and now occupy, when The number of Iraqi and other casualties Uranium or Radioactive Commodities" their actions have caused millions of casualties who would be classified as disease and non (Headquarters, Department Of The Army, and extensive environmental contamination? I battle injuries remains elusive but must be Washington, D.C., September 2002) and U.S. am dismayed that Department of Defense and proportional to United States DNBI casualties. Army Technical Bulletin- TB 9-1300-278: Department of Energy officials and their These numbers are staggering and can never be "Guidelines For Safe Response To Handling, representatives continue personal attacks aimed justified . Storage, And Transportation Accidents to silence or discredit those of us who are Verified medical problems include: Involving Army Tank Munitions Or Armor demanding that medical care be provided to all Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Malignant Which Contain Depleted Uranium" casualties and that environmental remediation is Neoplasms, Benign Neoplasms, Diseases of (Headquarters, Department Of The Army, completed. Endocrine/Nutritional/ Metabolic Systems, Washington, D.C., JULY 1996). A review of available casualty data such Diseases of Blood and Blood Forming Organs, While uranium weapons contamination as "Analysis of VA Health Care Utilization Mental Disorders, Diseases of Nervous System/ remains and will remain a serious hazard and Among U.S. Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) Sense Organs, Diseases of Circulatory System, can't be cleaned up the hazardous materials that Veterans Operation Enduring Freedom Disease of Respiratory System, Disease of have been dispersed throughout these regions Operation Iraqi Freedom VHA Office of Public Digestive System, Diseases of Genitourinary intensifies the adverse health and environmental Health and Environmental Hazards October System, Diseases of Skin, Diseases of effects. 2007," reveals that over 263,000 American Musculoskeletal System/Connective System, The extent of adverse health and military personnel have been diagnosed with Symptoms, Signs and Ill Defined Conditions, environmental effects of uranium weapons medical problems that are related to toxic and Injury/Poisonings. contamination is not limited to combat zones in exposures including food and water Beyond these diagnosed medical the Balkans, Iraq, and Afghanistan but includes contamination. problems we must look at what will happen in facilities and sites where uranium weapons were A review of the United States the future because of extensive air, water, soil, manufactured or tested including Vieques; Department of Veterans Affairs Gulf War and food contamination. It is obvious that war Puerto Rico; Colonie, New York; Concord, MA; Veterans Information system 'GWVIS' May with the use of today's weapons such as uranium Jefferson Proving Grounds, Indiana; and 2007 report reveals that out of 696,842 weapons and consequent releases of complex Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Americans who participated in Gulf War 1 as of toxic materials causing immediate and eternal Therefore medical care must be May 30, 2007 only 620,266 are still alive and adverse health and environmental effects can no provided by the United States Department of that at least 280,623 of those left alive have longer be justified. Consequently, it is Defense officials to all individuals affected by applied for lifetime medical care because imperative the President of the United States the manufacturing, testing, and/or use of exposures to battlefield toxins. ensures: uranium munitions and for consequent Sadly United States leaders did not learn 1. medical care for all casualties; exposures to all of the hazardous materials and consequently a review of the same casualty 2. thorough environmental remediation; released as result of combat operations. If we data reveals that as of May 30, 2007 out of the 3. immediate cessation of retaliation hope to prevent long term adverse health and 1,129,340 American military personnel who against all of us who demand compliance with environmental effects thorough environmental deployed to the Gulf only 963,083 remain alive medical care and environmental remediation remediation also must be completed without while at least 407,911 individuals have applied requirements; further delay. Although, we can never return for lifetime medical care. 4. and United States military personnel affected areas to prewar pristine conditions we According to casualty data published in cease the already illegal the use (UN finding) of must take immediate actions to mitigate the the recent issues of a Army Times at least depleted uranium munitions. hazards. 29,395 Americans have been wounded in action Continued on Page 39