HW 31 : Depleted Uranium

As I was reading the assigned section of Baghdad Burning, her blog from September 3 had information had never heard of before the bombing of in 1991 and more importantly the aftermath with depleted uranium (Riverbend, 47). Riverbend describes that the first bomb went straight through allowing the second one to blow up inside it, killing more then four-hundred people in the Al-Amriyah shelter on February 13, 1991. The bombs contained uranium, not only enhancing the explosion but also causing such a devastating repercussion that the affects are still being felt today. People contracted cancer and diseases that medicine could have helped if it was not “forbidden” due to sanctions placed on the country after the bombing that permitted the availability of medications, health care, books, clean water, and every day necessities. Birth defects were so high after the bombing due to the depleted uranium in their systems, babies were born with extra or less extremities and features coupled with mental and health concerns and disabilities (Riverbend 46-8). I had never heard of depleted uranium or the bombing that occurred in 1991, this is something that bothers me about our society, I was never taught about either of these and many other occurrences in our world similar to this tragedy. Therefore, this is what I chose to research to understand from the assigned reading. Depleted uranium a waste product of enriched uranium, and is radioactive. The use of this in weapons is even more detrimental due to its affects once released in to the air. It is not documented however; there have been cases where it appears that depleted uranium was a contributing factor to cancer in patients who had been exposed to the devastating airborne health threat (Wikipedia Foundation updated by unknown user on November 8, 2007). I regret not knowing about the tragedy in 1991 however, I am becoming more and more aware of situations as I continue to read this book, I am very great full to its author.