Google search for: syndrome depleted uranium
Take your pick of 12,700 sites.
Or just check a few: http://www.gulfwarvets.com/du.htm

The radiation from the old "Glow in the dark" watches was negligible.
Assemblers still died from it.

Guy

----- Original Message -----
From: "Denys Beauchemin" <[log in to unmask]>
To: "Guy Avenell" <[log in to unmask]>; <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2003 8:27 AM
Subject: RE: OT : US uses Indian 'threat' to force Pak support


> The Republic Thunderbolt II A-10 (AKA Warthog) is indeed a formidable
ground attack aircraft.  The plane is built around the
> seven-barrel GAU 8/A 30mm Avenger cannon, which fires a .94 lbs (.49kg)
round made up of depleted uranium.  The Warthog carries a
> full load of 1,174 rounds and a variety of ordnance on up to 11 hard
points under the wings and fuselage.  The primary weapon of the
> A-10 however, is the AGM-65 Maverick missile because of its accuracy,
effectiveness and the fact it can be fired from a longer
> distance than the Avenger gun.
>
> The use of depleted uranium in the core of a projectile has raised some
controversy ever since its debut.  At first, the Soviets
> accused the US of fielding atomic weapons in the A-10 but the
radioactivity of the DU round is really negligible.  The reason DU is
> used in such rounds is a question of mass.  DU is extremely dense (2.5
times greater than steel) and can thus concentrate a lot of
> mass on a single hard point inside the projectile.  This dense core can
defeat most armor.
>
> The M-1 Abrams main battle tank also uses DU in two ways.  1- The 120mm
smoothbore round it fires also as a DU core.  It is much
> bigger than the one in the 30mm round of the A-10.  2- The armor of the
M-1 Abrams tank is made up of DU encased in steel.
>
> http://www.gulflink.osd.mil/faq_17apr.htm
>
> I do not know where Guy got his figure of 10,000 but I suspect it is
inconsistent with reality.  Whilst we have all heard of Gulf
> War syndrome or disease, it has nothing to do with DU. On the other hand
it is much more likely that such a syndrome may be
> associated with exposure to undetected bio- or chemical weapons used by
Saddam.
>
> BTW, the British Challenger II main battle tank also fires a 120mm round
with a core of DU.
>
> Denys
>
>
>
>

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