A Global Pact Against Depleted Uranium

[chlamor]

A Global Pact Against Depleted Uranium

From Francis Boyle

April 24, 2005

During September of 2004 I launched an international campaign to conclude a global pact against depleted uranium (DU) munitions by having every state in the world officially and publicly take the position that the Geneva Protocol of 1925 already includes within itself a flat-out prohibition on the use of DU in wartime, which they have no yet done. So far the United States is the only government in the world that uses DU munitions during wartime. In addition to prohibiting "the use of bacteriological methods of warfare," the 1925 Geneva Protocol also prohibits "the use in war of asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases, and of all analogous liquids, materials, or devices." Clearly DU is "analogous" to poison gas. But we need every government in the world to legally and openly take that position. Then the entire world can pressure the United States to remove DU munitions from its arsenal.

Politically, the easiest way to accomplish that objective is not the conclusion of a new international treaty prohibiting the use of DU, but rather simply having every state in the world submit an interpretative Letter to that effect to the Government of France, which is the official depositary for the 1925 Geneva Protocol. This latter approach would also avoid the need to have the respective national legislatures of every state in the world to approve a new anti-DU treaty and thus complicate and prolong the process. All that needs to be done is for anti-DU citizens, activists and NGOs in each country of the world to pressure and convince their respective Foreign Ministers to sign, date, and then file this model Letter with the French Foreign Minister as indicated below. That task is eminently feasible.

As the Land Mines Treaty has already demonstrated, it is possible for a coalition of determined activists and NGOs, acting in concert with at least one sympathetic state, such as Canada, to actually bring into being an international treaty to address humanitarian concerns. This template Letter is for the use of concerned citizens, activists and NGOs worldwide, to pursue through universal governmental participation the complete and final elimination of DU munitions from the face of the earth:

His Excellency Michel Barnier

Foreign Minister
French Republic
37, Quai d'Orsay
75351 Paris
FRANCE

http://www.uruknet.info/?p=m11292

[doodadem]

1. Depleted Uranium--poison gas

This was the discussion on yesterday morning's, Sunday Salon (KPRG). People just have no idea about this crap. They started using it in the first Gulf War, thus causing Gulf War syndrome in our soldiers. It invades every system and major organ of the body. Men who have been infected experience intense burning during sex (it's in the semen), as do their partners. It's broken up countless marriages. Numerous cases of leukemia showing up in these people, as well as the Iraqi's we used it against.
And it's no better in this war: military recruiters are still telling our young people that this stuff is harmless--an outright LIE. It doesn't stay on where it's shot, because it's too light. It remains airborne for everyone to breathe. The instructions on approaching an enemy tank/building where it's been used to wear HAZMAT suits (what does that tell you?). However, our soldiers are not provided with HAZMAT suits.
This shit was sold as a way to make munitions more armor piercing. The same thing can be done with non-lethal tungsten. However, it's also being sold to our government by corporations who have it as a by-product, and they can't find any other way to get rid of it. Viola! Sell it to the military.
This is CRIMINAL........

[firefox]

2. Only the US and the UK use depleted uranium

The world has already tried to ban the use of depleted uranium and the US and the UK opposed it. Some say it still violates international law and I have to agree as it is the most hideous of weapons. It also shows we do not give a dam about the people of Iraq. It also shows that we have a controlled media because their is no discussion of depleted uranium in the mass media. It would be too explosive because it shows all the bullshit about helping Iraq to be just that and that the military are just misguided pigeons in a nation on an aggressive march.

[Democrats_win]

3. I'd never heard this before. Good idea. DU is really hard so it has

desirable characteristics for protecting people in tanks. Ironic that the thing that protects them will eventually harm them.

DU is the ultimate symbol of the evils of war. You can't really "win" a war.