Sun Mar 27, 2011
US B-2 bomber
The Stop the War Coalition says the bombs and missiles that the US-led military alliance has dropped on several Libyan cities contain depleted uranium (DU).
The report recently published on the Coalition's website said that in the first 24 hours of the war on Libya, dozens of bombs and cruise missiles were launched by US, British, and French forces -- all with depleted uranium warheads.
US B-2 aircraft dropped forty-five 2,000-pound bombs on key Libyan cities, it added.
DU munitions are controversial because they raise long-term health concerns like kidney damage, cancer, skin disorders and genetic defects.
"[Depleted uranium tipped missiles] fit the description of a dirty bomb in every way... I would say that it is the perfect weapon for killing lots of people," said Marion Falk, chemical physicist (retd.), Lawrence Livermore Lab in California.
The report comes as the Western forces claim the operation in Libya is aimed at protecting civilians.
Director of the US military's Joint Staff Bill Gortney has told reporters at a Pentagon briefing that he is not aware of any use of depleted uranium munitions in Libya.
Libya says at least 114 people -- many of them civilians -- have been killed in US-led airstrikes in the country.
"We are losing many lives, military and civilians," Libyan government Spokesman Mussa Ibrahim said in Tripoli.
Dozens of civilians have been killed in Libya since US-led forces launched aerial and sea attacks on the North African country.
Libyan troops have also killed thousands of civilians since a revolution started against Colonel Gaddafi in mid-February.
With one arm we raise a leader, then use him as a shield while we go after what we want with our other and raise up another in his stead. The cycle has repeated itself a dozen times in my lifetime alone and every time it happens everyone acts like this time is different, this time its justified, this time we are fighting "crimes against humanity". If you haven't noticed its the same script over and over and over... then there is no hope for you.
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