A second generation of uranium weapons were developed after the 1970’s using the non-fissionable uranium isotope U-238. Depleted uranium is highly toxic and radioactive waste, a by-product of the enrichment process that prepares uranium for use in nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons. It is a dense metal that is used in tank armour and anti tank munitions.

There are assessments of 286 metric tons of depleted uranium (DU) ammunition being used in Gulf War 1, 3 tons in Bosnia 1994-1995, 11 tons in Kosovo and Serbia in 1999 and over 75 metric tons in Iraq in 2003. When these DU penetrators explode and burn, they release uranium oxide dust that contaminates air water and soil and can be ingested and inhaled by all life forms. There is scientific evidence of increasing cases of cancer, leukaemia and birth defects in the civilian populations of countries contaminated and the service personnel and peacekeepers that have served there.

A spotlight has been held up to the isotope ratio of DU weaponry, with the European Parliament voting for a moratorium on DU weaponry in 2001, 2003, and 2008. In 2007 a United Nations General Assembly resolution requested the Secretary General to submit a report on the “effects of the use of armaments and ammunitions containing depleted uranium”. On 21st July 2009, the Belgian Parliament unanimously approved a law forbidding the financing of the manufacture, use and possession of depleted uranium weapons. However, all these resolutions are restricted to the use of weapons that have the isotope signature of U-238 ‘depleted uranium’.

There is now evidence of a third generation of non-nuclear uranium weapons. ‘Conventional’ weapons are being modified. The mission plan of the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1997, revealed the upgrade of 9 bombs and missiles to a “dense metal” warhead. Warheads defined in this plan became operational between 1997 and 2002. Scientific evidence suggests that these weapons contain enriched uranium. There are now uranium enhanced shaped charge warheads, uranium ballast in hard target warheads and uranium enhanced explosives and thermobaric weapons.

The Uranium Medical Research Centre conducted two field missions to Afghanistan in 2002 and another to Iraq in 2003. Urine samples from civilians revealed no DU but high levels of enriched uranium. Following the 2006 bombing of Lebanon, high levels of uranium were found in bomb craters by UNEP and Green Audit. Uranium particles were discovered in the air filter of an ambulance, which had been used in southern Beruit for the first 16 days of the conflict. Following the Israeli bombing of Gaza 2008-2009, tests on civilians revealed the presence of 30 toxic components, notably high levels of uranium.

There is conflicting opinion among scientists as to whether uranium weapons should be considered ‘nuclear’ or ‘conventional’. Many who are committed to the abolition of nuclear weapons are not including the unchecked arsenal of “uranium weapons” that are being used daily in conflicts across the globe. Whether uranium weapons are considered ‘nuclear’, ‘radiological’, a ‘poison substance’ or ‘conventional’ it does not change their status under International Law. They are “illegal”!

Uranium weapons fail the four rules derived from the whole of humanitarian law regarding weapons:

1. The “territorial” test: Weapons may only be used in the legal field of battle.
2. The “temporal” test: Weapons can only be used for the duration of the armed conflict
3. The “humaneness” test: Weapons may not be unduly inhumane.
4. The “environmental” test: Weapons may not have an unduly negative affect on the natural environment.

Uranium weapons cannot be contained on the legal field of battle, nor within the timeframe of battle. The radioactive particles will drift across countries and around the globe, contaminating air, water, soil and all life forms beyond 4.5 billion years. The birth defects exhibited by babies born after the conflict and the explosion of cancers afflicting civilians and service personnel is evidence of the inhumanity of these weapons.

As we reach another anniversary of the 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, what are the lessons that have been learnt by our military industrial complex? It is evident that ‘war pays’, ‘war adds to economic growth’. In 2006, scientists working at the forefront of research into uranium weapons stopped using the term DU (depleted uranium) and replaced it with the term WDU (weapons derived uranium). When we protest about the proliferation of nuclear weapons, we need to include the rampant proliferation of uranium weapons. This is a protest to secure all life on earth.

Pauline Rigby
www.mindseeds.com.au

Coordinator of the
DUSK Australia (Depleted Uranium Silent Killer)
UMRC Canada (Uranium Medical Research Centre)
Project to test Australian veterans for uranium contamination.

Co founder of DUSK Australia
Co founder of the Queensland Nuclear Free Alliance