Two U.S. soldiers in Iraq
The Iraq War began on March 20th, 2003 and officially ended in 2011 (Encyclopedia Britannica). After the U.S war ended in Iraq, researchers noticed a rapid increase of birth defects in Iraq. In a Daily Mail article titled “Did U.S Chemical Weapons Start Plague of Baby Defects?”, it is stated that “The number of heart defects among newborn babies [in Iraq] is said to be 13 times higher than the rate in Europe.” (Daily Mail [London]). According to the statistic, birth defect rates in Iraq are much greater now, with heart defects being a major issue. Researchers have been linking the usage of depleted uranium during the invasion of Iraq with the health problems of local Iraqis. However, some argue that the radioactive material is not harmful, but it can still be proven that the use of depleted uranium weapons in the Iraq War caused an increase in birth defects and health problems.
An M1 Abrams firing a tank round
Depleted Uranium Weapons
The United States military invaded multiple cities during the Iraq war, and used depleted uranium weapons, during the invasion of those cities. Depleted uranium is a radioactive material that is used in tank rounds and armor by the United States military (U.S Department of Veterans Affairs). The reason why depleted uranium is used in tank rounds is because it penetrates tank armor well, due to it’s density (Daily Mail [London]). Even though depleted uranium weapons were effective for the United States military, it had unforeseen consequences for the health of both veterans and civilians involved in the Iraq War.
Depleted uranium
Depleted uranium rounds are dangerous because of its radioactive properties. After a depleted uranium tank round hits a hard surface, it shatters and turns into powder (Daily Mail [London]). This powder is toxic, and stays in the atmosphere for a remarkably long time. If the powder enters the body through the bloodstream, it can emit cancer-causing radiation (Daily Mail [London]). There are multiple ways one can come into contact with depleted uranium powder. The United States Department of Veteran’s Affairs suggests that veterans could have come into contact with depleted uranium, by being “On, in or near vehicles hit with friendly fire; entering or near burning vehicles, near fire involving … [depleted uranium] munitions; or salvaging damaged vehicles” (U.S Department of Veterans Affairs). Local civilians can also come into contact with depleted uranium in the same way, but they are more exposed to it since they live in Iraq.
U.S. soldiers walking past a burning vehicle (Reuters)
Evidence of Depleted Uranium’s Impact on Health
Skeptics of depleted uranium’s toxicity argue that the material does not cause any adverse effects on human health, despite the evidence that suggests otherwise. Ron Smith, a “director of International relations and Security Studies in the University of [Waikato]”, argues that the toxicity and radioactivity of depleted uranium is not significant enough to cause any serious health effects (New Zealand International Review). He first points out that the low radioactivity of depleted uranium will most likely not have any impact on human health since “The very low radioactivity of depleted uranium . . . suggests that discernible health effects are unlikely” (Smith). Ron Smith goes on to say that depleted uranium will not affect soldiers or civilians because “There is no reliable evidence of radiological or toxicological harm to . . . [them] from the use of depleted uranium”. Ron Smith is hardline with his skepticism on the dangers of the radioactive material.
Despite Ron Smith’s claims, he ignores the evidence about the dangers of depleted uranium. The severe health effects of depleted uranium are observable. Ron Smith argues that depleted uranium most likely will not cause any harmful health effects. However, a lab study on rats showed that implanted depleted uranium fragments in their bodies caused the rats to develop “soft tissue sarcomas that can be detected . . . in the muscles of rats” (Environmental Health Perspectives). In other words, the radioactive fragments gave the rats muscle cancer. This study is evidence that depleted uranium can cause cancer in mammals. Humans, who come into contact with depleted uranium, could also be at risk of suffering from muscle cancer. This is also an issue for veterans because “some of . . . [them who were struck with depleted uranium fragments] had elevated concentrations of uranium in [their] urine 7 years after . . . getting wounded” (Environmental Health Perspectives). The risk of veteran’s health being negatively impacted by depleted uranium is also a concern for the United States military.
"Hospitals in Iraq are also noticing the effects of depleted uranium on infants"
The harmful aspects of depleted uranium is an issue that hospitals in Iraq and the U.S military take very seriously. The United States Department of Veteran’s Affairs states on their website that “[depleted uranium] is a potential health hazard if it enters the body. The United States military understands the threat that depleted uranium poses on human health. As a result, the military provides medical treatment to veterans effected by depleted uranium. Since the United States government is taking serious precautions towards depleted uranium, the concerns over depleted uranium must have a certain amount of legitimacy to them. Hospitals in Iraq are also noticing the effects of depleted uranium on infants. Malik Hamdan, a researcher in Iraq, reported that “‘Fallujah doctors were swamped by a [large] number of heart defects and other problems [that affects newborns]’” (Daily Mail [London]). Fallujah’s hospitals noticed this dramatic spike in birth defects after the Iraq war had been fought. There hasn’t been any research that shows a direct correlation between depleted uranium and it’s impact on birth defects in Iraq. However, the large amount of depleted uranium weapons deployed in the Iraq War, and the increased rate of birth defects in Iraq, reveals that the two issues most likely correspond with one another.
Depleted uranium weapons were used extensively throughout the Iraq War. As a result, Iraq is now plagued with birth defects and different kinds of health problems. As more studies observe the toxicity and dangers of depleted uranium, more evidence can be used to link the health problems in Iraq with the radioactive material. After reviewing the research on depleted uranium, it is clear that the use of depleted uranium weapons in the Iraq War caused lots of health problems for both Iraqi civilians and U.S military veterans.
- Sam A. Stace
(This essay was originally created on February 28th, 2017. This blog post is a modified version of that essay.)
Instagram: @Ancrap.CrackerJap https://www.instagram.com/ancrap.crackerjap/
Special thanks to: https://www.instagram.com/piratesprogress/ for inspiring me to post this essay
Citations:
"Iraq War." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 15 Dec. 2011. Web. 22 Jan. 2017.
"Did U.S. Chemical Weapons Start Plague of Baby Defects?" Daily Mail [London] 5 Mar. 2010: n. pag. Questia School. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.
"Public Health." Depleted Uranium - Public Health. US Department of Veterans Affairs, n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.
Hahn, Fletcher F. Guilmette, Raymond A. Hoover, and Mark D. "Implanted Depleted Uranium Fragments Cause Soft Tissue Sarcomas in the Muscles of Rats. (Articles).” Environmental Health Perspectives (2002): n. pag. Questia School. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.
Smith, Ron. "Depleted Uranium and Human Health: Ron Smith Debunks Sensationalist Claims about the Adverse Effects of Depleted Uranium." New Zealand International Review 30.5 (2005): n. pag. Questia School. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.
No comments:
Post a Comment