Iraq - Environmental disaster in the making

One of the most overlooked consequences of Bush's Middle East Follies, as exemplified by Iraq, is the effect of chemical contamination. This stems "from a looted nuclear site which needs cleaning up to sabotaged oil pipelines." According to a UN official:

"Iraq is the worst case we have assessed and is difficult to compare."

Lack of spare parts and Iraq's inability to maintain pollution standards during two previous wars and more than a decade of crushing sanctions have damaged the environment, including the Tigris and Euphrates rivers where most of Iraq's sewage flows untreated.

The situation became worse after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, in which depleted uranium munitions were used against Iraq for the second time and postwar looting and burning of the once formidable infrastructure caused massive spills and toxic plumes, Haavisto said.

It does appear at least we will someday have an answer to the DU debate.

"Iraq was a modern industrial society in many ways. The chemicals are very risky on its future. The more time passes the more consequences on health," Haavisto said. He said postwar assessment of the environmental damage was proceeding despite threats to the 1,000 staff of an Iraqi environment ministry, set up as an independent unit after the American invasion.

The field studies will eventually include depleted uranium, a toxic, heavy metal used to make bombs more lethal, of which the United States used an estimated 300 tonnes in 1991 Gulf War and an unknown quantity during the last invasion.

How long did that first war last? Six days - a couple of weeks? Do the math on that and then add in the figures for Afghanistan. By the time they prove how toxic DU is, we will have poisoned half of the Middle East with it.