This is a disturbing diary, so I am warning you up front.
A report out of Iraq this past week by Dahr Jamail highlights another stunningly horrific result of the illegal use of white phosphorus and chemical weapons in Fallujah by “coalition forces” back in late 2004 and 2005.
Babies born in Fallujah are showing illnesses and deformities on a scale never seen before, doctors and residents say.
The new cases, and the number of deaths among children, have risen after “special weaponry” was used in the two massive bombing campaigns in Fallujah in 2004.
After denying it at first, the Pentagon admitted in November 2005 that white phosphorous, a restricted incendiary weapon, was used a year earlier in Fallujah.
In addition, depleted uranium (DU) munitions, which contain low-level radioactive waste, were used heavily in Fallujah. The Pentagon admits to having used 1,200 tons of DU in Iraq thus far.
Between the white phosphorus and depleted uranium (as reported back in early 2006, as many as 50% of Iraqi cancer patients were under the age of 5 years old. This number from 2006 is up from around 13% just over a decade years earlier.
Brain damage, cleft palate, deformities, cancer, early death, Down’s Syndrome, stillborn babies, miscarriages, heart defects and missing limbs are just some of the “abnormalities” that are being seen at an alarming rate over the past few years, not to mention bodies where the skin basically melted off after exposure to these dangerous and immoral chemical weapons use.
“We saw all the colors of the rainbow coming out of the exploding American shells and missiles,” Ali Sarhan, a 50-year-old teacher who lived through the two US sieges of 2004 told IPS. “I saw bodies that turned into bones and coal right after they were exposed to bombs that we learned later to be phosphorus.
Were these mothers terrorists? What about the babies or children that were exposed to the chemicals and have either died or now have to suffer a life full of health issues – a life that will no doubt be shortened and full of difficulty as a result?
And by the way, this is not limited to Iraqis. As noted last year, Iraq vets have an alarming increase in cancer rates as well:
The number of these cancers remains undisclosed, with military officials citing patient privacy issues, as well as lack of evidence the cases are linked to conditions in the war zone. The U.S. Congress has ordered a probe of suspect toxins and may soon begin widespread testing of our armed forces.
—snip—
None of these soldiers know for sure what’s killing them. But they suspect it’s a cascade of multiple toxic exposures, coupled with the intense stress of daily life in a war zone weakening their immune systems.
“There’s so much pollution from so many sources, your body can’t fight what’s coming at it,” Valentin said. “And you don’t eat well or sleep well, ever. That weakens you, too. There’s no chance to gather your strength. These are kids 19, 20 and 21 getting all kinds of cancers. The Walter Reed cancer ward is packed full with them.”
The prime suspect in all this, in the minds of many victims — and some scientists — is what’s known as depleted uranium — the radioactive chemical prized by the military for its ability to penetrate armored vehicles. When munitions explode, the substance hits the air as fine dust, easily inhaled.
This is yet another huge issue that will need to be dealt with, and like so many others, is a humanitarian matter that will cast a dark cloud on what has been done in our names. Deformities and high cancer rates can’t be ignored – whether it is for Iraqi civilians or for our troops who are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The pictures are absolutely heartwrenching (warning: these are very graphic).
The effects are just starting to be seen, and whether it is in Walter Reed for our returning troops, or in the hospitals in Iraq – it is overwhelming:
The doctor added, “I can say all kinds of problems related to toxic pollution took place in Fallujah after the November 2004 massacre.”
Many doctors speak of similar cases and a similar pattern. The indications remain anecdotal, in the absence of either a study, or any available official records.
The Fallujah General Hospital administration was unwilling to give any statistics on deformed babies, but one doctor volunteered to speak on condition of anonymity — for fear of reprisals if seen to be critical of the administration.
—snip—
A senior Iraqi health ministry official was quoted as saying Feb. 26 that the health sector is under “great pressure”, with scores of doctors killed, an exodus of medical personnel, poor medical infrastructure, and shortage of medicines.
The atrocities committed in the name of “freedom” and “liberation” are countless. The fact that this was covered up, then downplayed by this administration is nothing short of disgusting. The ignoring and black out by the corporate media is inexcusable. But the truth is not hard to find – if you can stomach reading through it.
What’s worse is that all of this was done in our names, and most people don’t even know it (or want to know it).
sorry for the downer news, but this has to be told.
Nice to be the people who liberated them from healthy, normal children.
Because the mainstream Media keeps this and stories like this out of the public eye and ear, it keeps public opinion quiet. Some large majority of Americans want the military out of Iraq, understand this is a failing occupation, but aren’t enraged enough to do much of anything about it but answer anonymous polls. Phosphorus bombs are enraging, but kept from the people who don’t access Internet media.
I read about phosphorus bombs months, years? ago, and the story is back again. Was it in the MSM? I don’t know, I don’t watch it. It certainly was on Internet sites.
Iraq and the Iraqi people has been a playground for all the weapons the Congress, yes, including most Democrats, have approved and paid for over the last 60 years. We have ourselves to blame for electing Congrespeople who vote for weapons research, funding, manufacture, and USE.
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My earlier diary –
FALLUJAH, Iraq (SkyNews) May 29, 2008 – Families in the Iraqi city of Fallujah are calling for an investigation into their claims of a rise in the number of birth defects.
They have raised concerns about the weapons used by American forces in 2004 – when Fallujah suffered one of the heaviest bombardments of the entire war in Iraq.
But Hikmat Tawfeeq, deputy chairman of the Fallujah-based human rights group Alakhyar said: “We have around 200 cases of deformities recorded by our society. Most of these cases are birth deformities which have arisen after the bombing of Fallujah.”
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."I just read a chapter from “Molly Ivins Can’t Say That, Can She?”, “Killing the Messenger”. It starts with text from a from Jules Feiffer cartoon.
the media has tears only for timmeh, who died fat, rich, happy and unworried. this was just one story, among many others, he could have told, but didn’t.
Face it, America has become a monster, one which uses horrible weapons to disfigure and maim innocent children. Then, to compound the matter, our government keeps secret what we have done to so many others in various parts of the world.
There is no justification to use depleted uranium weapons, phosphorous bombs, and cluster bombs against areas which have a large concentration of civilians. Yes, many in our nation don’t care that our weapons cause cancer;that we have become a cancer ourselves as far as the rest of the planet is concerned. We are toxic to the well being of the human species. How fitting that the USA has rejected the Kyoto accords, we the biggest polluter by far of all the nations in the world.
The pictures were, indeed, heart wrenching. I could not look at all of them, I was getting too upset. I thought of my children and grandchild and realized that I am living in an evil country. I have no idea how to exorcise all the devils that have taken up residence here. I think of what a gentle healer once said, “By their fruits, you shall know them.” Based upon our treatment of Iraq, what knowledge do we have of America? Unbounded cruelty, limitless hypocrisy, a people calling out for the gods to destroy them.
Thanks for the diary. We need these lessons about our perversity. Otherwise, we would see no reason to change.
The child within is. . .Divine.
I just started “The Prosecution of BWB for Murder” by Vincent Bugliosi. Highly readable and since it doesn’t look like Congress is going to take Kucinich seriously, the civil courts may end up being the best last resort.
Just got back from a quick road trip and it still boggles my mind how many Americans are abjectly oblivious to what this administration has done in their name.
Thanks Clammy for the post.