Iraq littered with high levels of nuclear and dioxin contamination, study finds

[douglas9]

Pollution caused by the bombing of oil pipelines and the type of munitions used in two wars have led to health problems in Barsa, southern Iraq. Photograph: Dan Chung

More than 40 sites across Iraq are contaminated with high levels or radiation and dioxins, with three decades of war and neglect having left environmental ruin in large parts of the country, an official Iraqi study has found.

Areas in and near Iraq's largest towns and cities, including Najaf, Basra and Falluja, account for around 25% of the contaminated sites, which appear to coincide with communities that have seen increased rates of cancer and birth defects over the past five years. The joint study by the environment, health and science ministries found that scrap metal yards in and around Baghdad and Basra contain high levels of ionising radiation, which is thought to be a legacy of depleted uranium used in munitions during the first Gulf war and since the 2003 invasion.

The environment minister, Narmin Othman, said high levels of dioxins on agricultural lands in southern Iraq, in particular, were increasingly thought to be a key factor in a general decline in the health of people living in the poorest parts of the country.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/22/iraq-nuclear-contaminated-sites/print

[fascisthunter]

1. turning that country into a toxic wasteland would be benificial to oil companies

no populace to stop them from doing what they want.

[Karmadillo]

2. A small price to pay for the Democracy the US is bringing to the Middle East.

nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Duh

:)

[PearliePoo2]

4. Mission accomplished ....you bastards

You had to destroy Iraq in order to "save" it.
Congratulations Preznut W Bush.
The deadly war recipe of toxins and depleted uranium have guaranteed that Iraq remains one big Hazmat site for the next 10,000 years.

[Bobbieo]

5. Of course the US military is immune - right!!!! (Sarcasm)

[PearliePoo2]

9. Unfortunately , the troops coming back from this "hell hole"...

will be setting a record for psychological and physiological conditions.
There is a percentage of troops that are so fucked up, it's off the charts.

[G_j]

6. waiting for

someone to defend this,
(as has been standard on DU lately)

[bahrbearian]

7. Well they did attack us on 9-11, ask Palin

[Hissyspit]

8. kick nt

[invictus]

10. Bush41, Clinton, Bush43, and Obama are to Iraqis what Hitler was to the Jews.

The American government has perpetrated the genocide of the Iraqi people for 4 presidencies.