By Philip N. Ledoux <oldmanfromnh@yahoo.com>
http://educate-yourself.org/pnl/DUinIraq30sep07.shtml
September 30, 2007

I often try to put “numbers” into perspective by messaging them into equivalent visuals. The following is the result of those oft repeated “DU used in
Iraq is equal to 14,000 A-bombs.”

(DU = Depleted Uranium) used in bunker busters, armor piercing ammunition, and similar artillery munitions. The following table does the mathwork which accounts for only 1/2 the DU being vaporized when exploded and thusly able to be ingested into lungs or eaten via dust on food and spread by winds around the world.
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Data taken from the Liberty For Life web site:
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Nuclear Waste Vaporized in Iraq by United States of America:

DU in 1st Invasion of Iraq = 320 tons
DU in 2nd Invasion of Iraq = 1,500 ton
TOTAL = 1,820 tons

1,000 kg per ton (TOTAL in kg) = 1,820,000kg
Half uranium vaporized (1/2 TOTAL) = 910,000kg
Uranium used in Hiroshima's Little Boy = 64kg
Equivalent number of of Hiroshima's in Iraq = 14,218 bombs
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Let us combine these facts with some geography.

Iraq is about the size of the state of California or 437,072 Square KiloMeters which is equal to 168,743 Square Miles.

This transforms into a square with sides of 411 Miles or 661 KiloMeters.

Sq. root of 14,218 = 119

If we exploded an Hiroshima bomb every 3.45 miles (5.55 KiloMeters) in an easterly and southerly direction for 411 Miles (661 KiloMeters), it would total the 14,218 bombs and thusly 1,820 tons of DU.

An A-Bomb zone of total destruction is greater than 3.45 miles (5.55 KM) in diameter; thusly it would translate into total destruction or nuclear winter! We have the same nuclear fallout without the blast, thusly life continues; yet those lives will be dramatically shortened by horrible nuclear decay by-products. A nuclear bomb fall-out without the blast effect, every 3.45 miles; that draws a very dramatic picture of what has been done to Iraq. As you drive to work (or anywhere) count off every 3 and a half miles and picture an A-bomb fallout; quite a concentration of deadly fallout isn’t it?

When I write something like this, immediately I get mail asking “what is the solution?” Truly I do not have the answers. I was one of the nuclear  engineers that supplied the power to push our nuclear missile boat through the waters, and zig-zag around waiting for a signal from Navy Headquarters to fire our load of missiles which at that time targeted the USSR; conservative math gave us the figure of wiping out  one half of the total population of the USSR. And now this “unsung” hero of the Cold War (me) is advocating eliminating war. Yes, it took me awhile to “wake up.”

Other than running a complet fleet of 747s into the Pentagon and up the road at Pennsylvania Avenue, I know of no genuine solutions; and I can’t recommend “the above” because it would never be allowed to come to fruition, and I and many others would be shot at sunrise tomorrow. So, we have at least one hand tied behind our backs to start with in this battle of the minds. The best I can do, is create graphics (drawings and words) that put reality into perspective. There are thousands of unsung heroes out there who have better answers than I do.

The recent “End The War” protest in Washington, D.C. is a good example. Never underestimate your own abilities.

Philip N. Ledoux

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