nasty!!! - and i wonder who supplied...., page-28

re: viper, stelep & now gaweb:!!nasty!!! - and i w
Its OK Yak, I think that it (dirty bombs) is absolutely hideous and that the perpetrators should be shown no mercy and be hunted down and destroyed absolutely without mercy.

Didnt the US use depleted uranium in the missiles, rockets last Gulf War?

extract

WHAT IS DU?

Depleted uranium is actually uranium 238. U-238 is the non-fissionable residue of the uranium enrichment process. Some confusion seems to exist in that U.S. Department of Defense and British Ministry of Defense officials try to confuse indivdiuals by claiming that internalized DU contamination is natural uranium rather than DU. This is unethical subversion of fact because natural uranium contains 99.2% by weight U-238 while DU contains 99.8% by weight U-238. However, there seems to be some evidence to suggest that a small proportion of other toxic heavy metals also may be present. U-238 emits alpha particles at 4.2 Mev and 4.15 Mev which cause significant internal ionization with consequent cellular damage. In addition daughter products emit beta particles and gamma rays which may cause further radiological damage. While DU may not be an external hazard it is an internal hazard which is why its use as a munitions with consequent inhalation, ingestion, and wound contamination pose significant and unaccceptable risks.

WHAT ARE THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES?

Depleted uranium or U-238 has a atomic mass of 238. It’s half life is 4.468 billion years. It’s natural occurance is 2.1 parts per million. Uranium is silver white, lustrous, maleable, ductile, and pyrophoric. This makes DU an ideal metal for use as kinetic energy penetrators, counterweights, and shielding or armor. DU’s high density and pyrophoric nature are the two most significant physical properties that guided its selection for use as a kinetic energy penetrator.

WHERE DOES DU COME FROM?

Uranium hexaflouride is the non-fissionable residue or by-product of the uranium enrichment process during which fissionable Uranium 235 and Uranium 234 are separated from natural uranium. Depleted uranium is refined from Uranium Hexaflouride (UF6). The United States Department of Energy has so much UF6 stored at various sites that any use that increases disposal of this waste product is welcome. Consequently economic recovery may superceed health and environmental concerns.


The possible hazards were known before the use of depleted uranium munitions during the Gulf war. A United States Defense Nuclear Agency memorandum written by LTC Lyle that was sent to our team in Saudi Arabia stated that quote "As Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), ground combat units, and civil populations of Saudi arabia, Kuwait, and Iraq come increasingly into contact with DU ordnance, we must prepare to deal with potential problems. Toxic war souveners, political furor, and post conflict clean-up (host nation agreement) are only some of the issues that must be addressed. Alpha particles (uranium oxide dust) from expended rounds is a health concern but, Beta particles from fragments and intact rounds is a serious health threat, with possible exposure rates of 200 millirads per hour on contact." end quote.

This memorandum, the reports that we prepared immediately after ODS as a part of the depleted uranium assessment to recover DU destroyed and contaminated U.S. equipment, the previous research, our and other’s expressed concerns, led to the publication of a Department of Defense directive to quote:

"1. Provide adequate training for personnel who may come in contact with depleted uranium equipment.

2. Complete medical testing of personnel exposed to DU contamination during the Persian Gulf War.

3. Develop a plan for DU contamianted equipment recovery during future operations."