The Fight for Decontamination in Iraq Begins

Now that, very sadly, DU has been used again the challenge to campaigners is to ensure that accurate and widespread testing of human and environmental exposure is carried out and that the British and American Governments are held responsible for decontamination of the exposed areas.

At CADU we believe that forcing governments to pay for decontamination when they use weapons they know to have dangerous and illegal side effects is crucial to stopping this type of behaviour. While governments may wriggle around international law treaties, being forced to pay for the damage they do with their weapons will hurt them financially. This unfortunately appears to be the only language they understand. As can be seen from the use of Agent Orange in the Vietnam War this will not be easy.

In a typically disturbing statement made at a Pentagon press conference just before fighting started Army Colonel. James Naughton said "Why do they (the Iraqis) want it to go away? They want it to go away because we kicked the crap out of them in 1991." The US and UK Governments have, unsurprisingly, said they will not clean up DU contamination in Iraq but pressure is mounting on them and from some surprising corners…

Read more articles about Depleted Uranium in Iraq