Iraqi child cancer 'linked to US weapons'

16 Aug 2010, 7:18 am   -   Source: SBS
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The number of deformed babies and children with leukaemia is increasing in Iraq, with locals blaming Depleted Uranium weapons used in US attacks, SBS'Dateline reports. 

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The number of deformed babies and children with leukaemia is increasing in Iraq, with locals blaming Depleted Uranium weapons used in US attacks, SBS' Dateline reports. 

Seven years after the invasion of Iraq, the US is starting to withdraw its forces.

US President Barack Obama has pledged to withdraw most US troops from Iraq by the end of August 2010.

He has said that between 35,000 and 50,000 US troops will remain in the country, and would gradually continue to be withdrawn until December 31, 2011.

Historians and pundits will no doubt argue for years over the impact of this history making period, but Iraqis are dealing with a more immediate and, it seems devastating legacy.

Stories are now emerging of increased deformities in the country's newborn babies as well as a dramatic rise in the number of children with cancer. 

A report published on The Independent says cancers and other diseases in the city of Falluja are higher than those recorded in the survivors of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Many are asking whether this spike could be connected to contamination caused by the use of depleted uranium in the bombs and bullets used by American forces.

SBS' Dateline program sent their Walkley Award winning colleague, Fouad Hady, back to his homeland to investigate.

Click here to watch the full report.

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Senior Scientist, PSR

Steven Starr - from United States, 2 years ago

DU munitions were first used the 1991 Gulf War. US military forces suffered less than 1,000 total casualties in the war; yet 250,000 of the 540,000 troops that fought in the war are now sick and on disability. These are not old men, their average age is in the 30s. Why have 40% of these vets become seriously ill? Surely a large percentage of them are sick from their exposure to DU. This story is not reported in the media; it would hurt recruitment. DU munitions remain in full production.

Nukewatch staff

John L - from US, 2 years ago

The journalist who claims US military pressure on the Ministry of Health prevents doctors from discussing the incidence of birth abnormalities is on to something. Can this be documented?

well

craig - from gosford, 2 years ago

the US government has been found guilty in the past of releasing toxins on their own citizens and then studying the effects imagine what they are willing to unleash on a foreign population

Depleted Uranium - a weapon of Mass Destruction

Deborah L Schneider - from California, 2 years ago

Shame on America, England, and Israel for using these weapons on civilians. Every American needs to see this report as this it would not be shown on our propaganda television stations. Look for these types of deformities to show up in the children of the Marines who were in Fallujah. Not only was depleted uranium used quite liberally so was White Phosporus. Americans must remove their blindfolds and take responsibility for these war crimes. There is not excuse for these crimes against humanity!

Media Black Out

HAK - from America, 2 years ago

Of course this is not mentioned in the American News. A total black out. The most that is heard here is how our poor soldiers have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Nothing, not one word about the disaster we created over there.

if only these people could be voted out of office

vanessa - from perth, 2 years ago

It's staggering that a human being, knowing what they must know about how much they need love and family in their own lives, can make such a devastating choice, to allow such things to be done to another country. How can the average person understand this type of thinking, so we can counteract it? I saw this on Dateline, and it was just frightening to see the parent's faces. They were beyond anger, just in despair. We have to think of ways to get our planet back, and act on them.

Depleted Uranium for Depleted Humanity

Richard Tingey - from Levin, New Zealand, 2 years ago

I strongly oppose all nuclear weapons. My father died at 57 years in 1968. He looked 80. He had a severe overdose of radioactivity when his radioactive paint mixing operation seems to have struck a problem. His special badge showed it after being processed for the week. Without gieger counters, he supervised women who painted early 1940's aircraft dials that glowed radioactively for undetected night flights. He diced with death. The deformed babies are no surprise. See my www.nfwn.webs.com

Senior Scientist, PSR

Steven Starr - from United States, 2 years ago

for more on DU, see interview with Major Doug Rokke at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-VkpR-wka8 Major Rokke was the U.S. Army's Depleted Uranium Project director from 1994 - 1995. He developed the congressionally mandated education and training materials for DU incidents. (complete bio at http://www.thepowerhour.com/news3/doug_rokke_bio.htm ) Also see http://www.du-deceptions.com/about.html for information about nuclear war see www.nucleardarkness.org

Mother

Ann - from Illinois, 2 years ago

The people responsible are war criminals and they need to pay for their crimes. We have laws against war crimes. I thought that we went to Iraq because they had weapons of mass destruction. Why did we use WMD against these innocents? Why aren't these issues addressed, swiftly? Has the whole world gone mad??

to hell with the USA

thomas vesely - from victoria, 2 years ago

morally indefensible,just like agent orange.this is no accident.

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