DU weapons the new Agent Orange?

[GonzoStyles]

please sound off if you have an opinion or any experiance in this field, from what I have read the armor in Saddams arsenal could have been taken out with conventional munitions, and now DU is being used in "bunker busters" which are being dropped fairly regularly.
basically it is a by-product of the fissal nuclear industry which should be eliminated IMO


this is just one source, please post anything else you can find on the subject

http://www.gulfwarvets.com/du.htm

[Rayl]

The DU subject is largely exagerated and most anything you can find to the contrary is speculative at best. Once again it would seem that your digging through headlines and not researching the actual content of the story itself. For your sake I would be careful as to what kind of ultra touchy feely media you're getting facts from.

[GonzoStyles]

Rayl did you visit the link? I have heard the founder of this website speak and he seemed pretty convincing. and since it is a scientific fact that upon vaporization "depleted" uranium DOES emit alpha particles I dont see how this cannot be bad for our troops and the countrys they are fighting for.

[Rayl]

I only know what I've seen and that is numerous friends of mine that work with and aroud the DU rounds on a regular basis and have had no adverse effects from doing so. I know that in dealing with Iraq specifically with the DU controversy the facts get garbled up in the propaganda. So is it possible sure I'll concede that, but it seems unlikely. Admittedly I've studdied very little on the subject and only what others who work in the industry have offered me as proof.

[cam427]

I'm pretty rusty on my nuclear emmisions so anyone can feel free to correct anything that I say.

From memory (i am too lazy to research this right now) alpha particles are relatively harmless and will not even penetrate the skin. I think the only time they were dangerous was if ingested (eaten or breathed in).

I believe Granite emits alpha particles (from radon). So do lots of things.

Edit: Just did a quick seach and found thhis site http://www.uic.com.au/ral.htm. Have a look.

Cam

[eXcessiveForce]

if I remember correctly alpha is not very dangerous. It is limited in distance traveled and ablilty to pentrate objects.


You can't believe how much radiation is given of by those lunchables (processed food) you buy at the store.

[cam427]

We used to work with the L119 field gun. The sights and much of the other sighting equipment (directors, etc) are all full of Tritium so that you can use them at night. All of the tritium filled devices were items that you spent most of your time with your eye pressed against.

That is far more radioactive (and worrying) than some DU.

[medic06]

I believe the dangers of DU comes from the aerosolized salt particles after the DU has been used (read burned the crap out of the target). If enough of these particles are inhaled I can see where this can be a health hazard. It is a heavy metal like lead and problably hangs around in the body for a while. Assuming it acts like other heavy metals, if absorbed or ingested in sufficient quantities it could cause significant damage to the internal organs, specifically the liver and kidneys.

True Alpha particles have little penetrating power. But they are also one of the most, if not the most destructive radioactive emissions to living tissue. If the radiation source is INSIDE the body then Alpha particles can cause tremendous damage.

So, if you combine: inhalation and absorption + primarily Alpha emissions + slow excretion by the body, it's quite possible that DU poses a serious threat.

Of course, this is just my own speculation. I just got off of work, I'll research this later if I have time.

[GonzoStyles]

heres a link with the history and shameful treatment of those veterans exposed to agent orange.

http://www.usvetdsp.com/agentorange.htm

my point in this post was that Agent Orange wasnt thought of as dangerous when it was being used, and was considered a great asset, the health implications were ignored or not fully researched before its use. and in the aftermath of the Vietnam war the test results were fudged to show no harm to those exposed or ignored when they showed otherwise.

could this be the case with DU? that we are ignoring its dangers simply because the effects havent had time to fully manifest themselves?

as far as working with un-expended DU munitions I dont think thats where the main concern is, seems to me the danger is when the rounds are used and then footsoldiers or civs more through (or back into) an area, and the vaporized particles are inhaled.

and I am not sure on this so if a tank expert could chime in, if the Armor in Saddams arsenal could be breached using rounds not containing DU then WHY USE IT?

[Rayl]

Naturally the munitions in which we use should always be tested and retested periodically for various reasons. Although in this particular case I am satisfied with the results and how they appear to be at present. I have seen nothing in the way of true evidence by a creditable source to which I could draw any other conclusions. DU rounds at present have not been proven to produce any harmful side effect to anyone, and until such time as they are they should be used as often as needed.