Media Critiques
Coverage Differs on Use of Depleted Uranium in Warfare
By Jenny Garcia
Mar 25, 2004, 20:07

Despite evidence of health defects, the U.S. and British forces continue to use depleted uranium weapons, hurting soldiers in addition to enemy forces. The long-term health effects are lethal to soldiers, civilians, and U.S. military vets despite the effectiveness in war.

Depleted uranium is used in the latest U.S. ammunition because of its armor-piercing qualities. Unfortunately, uranium lingers in the body. According to scientists, the effects of exposure may not be apparent for up to 20 years. The primary health effect is cancer.

American soldiers in the Gulf War were sent into radioactive and toxic wastelands. Soldiers went into areas after explosions without gas masks and without being warned of the effects of depleted uranium.. With more than 100,000 Gulf War veterans complaining of symptoms from toxic and chemical agents, the conditions, known as “Gulf War Syndrome”, are now being investigated in Iraq.

The Defense Department and Pentagon says that D.U. radiation is relatively harmless. Meanwhile, military scientists say that a D.U. anti-tank round outside its metal casing can emit as much radiation in one hour as 50 chest X-rays.

The Pentagon defends D.U. also arguing that its rounds so effectively destroy Iraqi tanks that it is saving many more U.S. lives than its radiation could possibly endanger.

After hearing rumors of the depleted uranium’s toxicity, soldiers of the 651st Combat Support Attachment in the Gulf War began experiencing strange flu-like symptoms. Yet,they were not warned of its affects or even cautioned to wear gas masks.

According to recent studies on Gulf War veterans, the short-term risk of D.U. is chemical toxicity. However, it can be trapped in the body for long periods resulting in lung cancer or kidney disease.

The media has by no means underrepresented the story of the militaries use of depleted uranium. However, different media outlets views on its harmfulness are skewed.

Mainstream news outlets, such as the Houston Chronicle and the New York Times suggest that D.U. is not as harmful as many soldiers and enemy forces claim. While alternative news sources like www.aim.org and www.merip.com or the Middle East Report claim that D.U. is killing more lives than it is saving.

Mainstream media outlets tell the Pentagon’s side of the story. They say that the numerous deaths of American veterans of the Gulf War are due to diverse factors: stress, pesticides, vaccines, and oilwell fire smoke.

Meanwhile, alternative news sites focus on the facts and statistics collected by scientists who argue that the deaths are related to depleted uranium.

Pentagon and military officials who claim D.U. was harmless often ridicule papers that publish stories on depleted uranium. Nowadays, coverage of the issue is scarce except in alternative media sources.

The story that came out in June of 2003 continues today. The opposing sides of the story are told by the mainstream and alternative news sources pretty much the same every time. Until the mainstream media decides to report the hard facts, the problem could go on unresolved. As of now, the Pentagon is feeling no pressure from the American public due largely to the coverage by the mainstream media.

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