1Updated war plans, February 2003Eos Life-Work

Last chance to questionLast chance to question

US Dirty Bombs for IraqUS Dirty Bombs for Iraq Dai Williams, independent researcher, UK

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Key questions and hazard warnings from Uranium weapons 2001-2003:

Hazards of Uranium weapons for Afghanistan and Iraq Hazards of Uranium weapons for Afghanistan and Iraq Sent to the UK Government in October 2002. ISBN 0-9532083-8-9

Oleg Nikishin © Getty Images

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2 basic questions1) What is the secret, high density

metal used in the new generationof hard target guided bombs and missiles?

Radiological weapons destroy the health andlives of troops, civilians and their children forfriends and enemies. They are forbiddenunder Articles 35 & 55 of the 1st Protocol additional to the Geneva Convention.

2) If this mystery metal is Uranium how can national leaders and governments justify or support the use of radiological bombs - weapons of indiscriminate effect - in Afghanistan and Iraq?

GBU-28GBU-28Bunker Bunker busterbuster

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What is the secret dense metal ?Hard target warhead metals & alloys compared:

Factors* Ni-Co Steel Tungsten Uranium

High Density (2x penetration)

8-9 1x

19.2 2x

19 2x

Hardness (concrete, rock)

Pyrophoric (incendiary)

No No 2000 - 5000C

Melting point(for shaped charges)

High 3422 Too high

1132 ~ Cu

Cost

* Refer Depleted Uranium weapons 2001-2002, Part 3, for details and sources

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Dense metal warhead uses & hazardsNi-Co Steel Tungsten Uranium

Warhead uses

Casing Penetrators.

High Densitybomb ballast.

Penetrators.

HD bomb ballast.

Incendiary &/or Thermobaric for CW / BW / AP.

Shaped charge liners (anti-tank)

EFPs (mines & cluster bombs)

Hazards (lasting effects after battle) Radiation O O U-oxide

Toxic O

Dispersal < 100 m < 100 m >25 km

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Sizes of known & suspected Uranium warheads

• Anti-tank penetrators 0.3 - 5 kg (DU)

• Cluster bomb shaped charge liners ~ 0.5 kg

• Shaped charge missiles 4 - 200 kg

• AGM & cruise missiles 200 - 500 kg

• Guided bombs 250 - 1500 kg

• Thermobaric bombs (new 2002) 500+ kg

• Big BLU guided bomb (new 2002/3) 5,000+ kg

??Secret ‘dense metal’

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Internet sources used for weapons, combat, health and environment data• USAF Mission Plan 1997 - hard target warhead upgrades• Federation of American Scientists - weapon reports• Center for Defense Information, Washington - combat data• Boeing, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Alliant, Primex, MSC

- weapons and / or uranium munitions manufacturers• US Patent Office - warhead designs & concepts• Jane’s Defence Information, London - uranium use • UK Ministry of Defence - U warhead development & testing• UK Parliament Hansard records - MP questions & answers• UNEP, WHO, IAEA, MSF, Reuters Health - reports • Uranium Medical Research Center, Canada - contamination• Low Level Radiation Campaign, UK - U epidemiology• Military Toxics Project, USA - veterans & contamination

Internet links available in Eos online reports

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US Patents confirm Uranium warheads

This new hard target warheadhas Tungsten and Uranium penetrator options.

The upgraded 2000 lb warhead is called BLU-116 and can be used in GBU-15, 24, 27, 31 & AGM-130C guided bombs plus BLU-118/B Thermobaric bomb.

e.g. US Patent 6,389,9772000 lb Shrouded Aerial BombBLU-109/B warhead upgradeLockheed Martin 1997-2002

...

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Hard target guided weapons in 2002: smart bombs and missiles with ‘dense metal’ warheads (Up to 2000 kg. 50-75% may be Uranium

Figure 1 fromUranium weapons 2001-2003, at

www.eoslifework.co.uk/u23.htm#fig1 ….

23 suspected Uranium weaponsystems

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Combat use of suspected Uranium weaponsY = Yes, use reported. Suspected U P = Prototype versions

Iraq91

Bosnia95

Iraq98

Balkans99

Afghan- istan

Iraq2003?

Guidedbombs

P P P Y Y ?

ShapedChargeMissiles

Y Y Y Y Y ?

AGM &Cruisemissiles

- P P P Y ?

Anti-tankshells

Y Y ? Y Y ?

Clusterbombs

- - - Y Y ?

Estimatedtons U

300 -500?

50? 50? 10 - 100? 1000+? 1500+?

??

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Weapons & health in AfghanistanOctober 2001-January 2003

• 6,000 + guided weapons, bombs & missiles• estimated 1/3rd used Hard Target warheads

for command centres, bunkers, caves.• average ‘dense metal’ per weapon 500 kg• 7 scenarios from ‘no uranium’ to worst case

scenario 1000+ tons Uranium warheads > widespread contamination. No UNEP survey.

• Fatal epidemics included haemorrhagic fever outof season, fatal coughs with bleeding and highest maternal mortality rate in the world (Reuters etc).

• Sick civilians near bomb targets had 100x normal uranium contamination in urine (www.umrc.net)

??

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Weapons with known or suspected Uranium warheads to be used in Iraq

Guided bombs• GBU-28 & 37 Bunker busters

(2 tons)• GBU-15, 24, 27 and 31 JDAM

(2000 lbs)• GBU-32 JDAM (1000 lbs)• GBU-118/B Thermobaric• Big BLU DSHTW (10 tons)

Cruise & other missiles:• AGM-86D (CALCM)

• BGU-109 Tactical Tomahawk

• AGM-130C

• AGM-142 Raptor

• AGM-154C JSOW

• AGM-158 JSSAM

• Storm Shadow / SCALP ER

• TOW 2

• AGM-65 G Maverick

• Hellfire / Brimstone

Sub-munitions (cluster bombs)

• BLU-108/B anti-tank• BLU-97B CEM

Anti-armour penetrators (known DU)• 25 mm, 30 mm, 105 mm. ??

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Feared US Dirty War scenario for Iraq

• Expected 700+ guided missiles, 9000+ guided bombs plus DU anti-armour penetrators (NYT 2 Feb).

• Suspected 1500+ tons of Uranium oxide contamination (5x more than 1991 and from 100x larger weapons).

• Airborne Uranium oxide suspended in radio-activedust haze for months due to summer heat.

• No civilian protection > severe contamination risk >2nd radiation health disaster - genocide. Target areas permanently uninhabitable > major refugee exodus.

• Ongoing radioactive dust protection impractical >internal radiation risk for 200,000+ allied troops,expatriate NGOs, oil workers - fratricide.

??

??

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5 international arms control prioritiesfor suspected Uranium weapons

1. UN to veto combat use of 23 suspected uranium

weapon systems and to conduct full inspection.

2. Environmental testing of bomb & missile targets in

Balkans, Afghanistan & Iraq no-fly zones (UNEP).

3. Uranium testing & health monitoring for troops &

civilians exposed to Uranium weapons since 1991

4. Medical aid, environmental protection &

compensation for all contaminated communities.

5. Review of all DU medical research, policy & law to

include large & undepleted uranium weapons. affirm

……….

…..

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Further information

Recent Eos reports and warnings Afghan report (Jan 2002) www.eoslifework.co.uk/du2012.htm

Iraq analysis (Sept) www.eoslifework.co.uk/pdfs/Uhaziraq1.pdf

US warhead patents (Oct) www.eoslifework.co.uk/pdfs/USpats.pdf

Letter to Tony Blair (Oct) www.eoslifework.co.uk/pdfs/Uhazltrblair.pdf Iraq summary and updates www.eoslifework.co.uk/u23.htm

Author Dai Williams, M.Sc. independent researcher, Eos, UK

Email eosuk@btinternet.com

Copyright © Eos 2003

See also recent Uranium health, environmental and radiation research

projects at www.umrc.net & www.llrc.org