[A-List] Bad news and good news

[Rob Schaap <bantam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

G'day all,

The bad news is that depleted uranium has profound and unfortunate effects on
the health and reproductive capacity of western soldiers.  And, if no news is
good news, then it must be assumed that the metabolisms of non-western
civilians are such that they are unharmed by a pollutant that (a) persists in
their environment a lot longer than in that of their uniformed visitors, and
(b) is set to infest many more environments any time now.

Cheers,
Rob.

               Gulf soldiers suffered genetic damage: study
         LONDON, Dec 24 AAP|Published: Monday December 24, 9:01 PM

  Soldiers who served in the Gulf, Bosnia and Kosovo where depleted uranium
(DU) weapons were
used have suffered substantial genetic damage, a new report has found.

  A study of eight British veterans has found all have high levels of deformed
chromosomes, increasing the risks of cancers and abnormalities in their children.

  Initial results reveal genetic damage at least 10 times greater than that
found in the general population, British newspaper the Daily Express reported.

  Retired chemistry professor Albrecht Schott took blood from the eight men in March.

  Six of the veterans served in the Gulf, and one of the six also served in Bosnia.

  Of the remaining two men, one served only in Kosovo and the other only in Bosnia.

  The small study is the first scientific data to back up anecdotal evidence
of widespread deformities and unusual illnesses in the children of veterans.

  "This level of genetic damage doesn't occur naturally," Professor Schott said.

  "Alpha radiation from DU is the most likely cause of the chromosome
aberrations we found in the white blood cells of the veterans.

  "Gene damage on this scale makes cancer, deformed babies and other genetic
conditions more likely."

  However, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said the study was suspect.

  "The results of the tests in Germany do not support claims by veterans that
they were subjected to ionising radiation from DU-based ammunition," the
spokesman said.

  "We consider the testing neither well-thought out nor scientifically sound."

  DU, a nuclear industry by-product, is used in armour piercing shells because
its high density allows it to penetrate and destroy hard targets such as tanks
and underground bunkers.

  DU ignites on impact and turns into dust that can be inhaled and remain in
the body for years, emitting small doses of alpha radiation.

  The British government announced plans to test veterans for DU poisoning in
January after it was revealed veterans from several European countries had
died of cancer.