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US DIRTY BOMBS. Radioactive shells spiked with plutonium. John LaForge Nukewatch, USA. Shooting radioactive waste at the ‘enemy’. What is ‘depleted’ uranium?. U-238: 700,000 tons (US). Plutonium: “The most carcinogenic material known ”. Contaminated with trace amounts of: Plutonium
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US DIRTY BOMBS Radioactive shells spiked with plutonium John LaForge Nukewatch, USA
What is ‘depleted’ uranium? U-238: 700,000 tons (US)
Plutonium: “The most carcinogenic material known” Contaminated with trace amounts of: Plutonium Americium Neptunium U-236
30 mm DU shells A-10 Warthog: 39,000 rounds per minute Alliant Techsystems (Minneapolis, Minnesota) 15 million produced for US airforce
Why depleted uranium? Oct 30, 1943: US War Dept. Memo
Why depleted uranium? “One day’s exposure to a human being would result in temporary incapacitation, and one week’s exposure would result in death”
International law forbids the use of indiscriminate or poison weapons • Geneva Conventions • Hague Regulations • Geneva Gas Protocol • US Airforce: The Conduct of Armed Conflict and Air Operations
Condemned • UN Sub-Commission on Human Rights • European Parliament • Germany, Italy & Portugal • Rep. McKinney & McDermott • Worldwide Campaign
COMPENSATE civilian & military victims • DECONTAMINATE target countries and test ranges • PROSECUTE violators of international conventions • MANAGE depleted uranium as radioactive waste