Our media have a well-documented tendency to run with scare stories about health and the environment. A case study is the coverage given to claims that the use of NATO ammunition made with depleted uranium may be causing health problems, even leukemia. Such ammunition was used in the Persian Gulf War and the war on Kosovo. The New York Times was trumpeting the claims with a series of stories.

      The repetition of the charge has an impact, causing many people to believe it is true. On January 4th, the first story in the Times appeared.

      It was a Reuters dispatch about Italy asking NATO to examine claims that six Italian soldiers were dead because of exposure to NATO ammunition with depleted uranium. Two days later, the Times ran another Reuters story about U.N. reports of radiation at sites where the ammunition was used.

      At this point, it is apparent that some official at the Times decided this was a serious story, and that they should have their own reporter on it. Marlise Simons of the Times did a story one day later about how the controversy was alarming Europe. Two days later, she had a story about a document warning that special precautions should be taken when coming into contact with the ammunition. One day later, Simons was back with a story about the European Union ordering an investigation. Then, the very next day, Simons was back again, noting that most NATO countries had rejected a proposal for a ban on the ammunition.

      But on January 13th, another Times reporter, Gina Kolata, had a very different analysis appearing on page one. Her story quoted a number of physicists and medical experts as saying it’s impossible for depleted uranium to have caused leukemia, and that it was extremely doubtful that the metal caused any health problems whatsoever. The Washington Post confirmed this analysis with its own story on January 28th, appearing back on page 20, which said the furor in Europe over depleted uranium “has no foundation in medical research…”

      The Strategic Issues Research Institute, SIRIUS, which monitors international affairs, conducted its own analysis of the medical literature and reported no relationship between depleted uranium and leukemia. It said the controversy was a red herring that diverts our attention from other factors or possible causes for the so-called Gulf War syndrome that is affecting thousands of Gulf war veterans. The group points out that very few of those suffering from Gulf War Syndrome were ever exposed to a combat incident where such ammunition was used, and even fewer were in a position to inhale depleted uranium particles.

      SIRIUS points out there is an on-going study of several dozen soldiers wounded by such ammunition during combat incidents, mostly friendly-fire accidents. There are no cases of leukemia, and the traces of uranium in their urine and blood remain below danger levels. About twenty children were born to these subjects, with no birth defects. A close analysis suggests the controversy over depleted uranium was created by those opposed to U.S. military involvement abroad. This ammunition gives the U.S. a significant advantage over its enemies and saves lives — American lives — when the U.S. goes to war.

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