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drentrix
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2009 10:40 pm Posts: 4
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Depleted Uranium Ammunition
In war, the advantages of Depleted Uranium munitions help the United States stomp other countries into the ground.
The United States and its NATO allies maintain that Depleted Uranium dust (a by-product) doesn't cause cancer and birth defects, however, 136 countries are citing other research saying that it does.
Which side do you think is right?
Here is the wikipedia entry: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depleted_uranium
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Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:22 am |
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TheKebbit
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2009 10:24 pm Posts: 3939 Location: NORTH
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Re: Depleted Uranium Ammunition
I don't think attempting to start a debate is incredibly wise. This is the Internet, after all.
That said, it's an interesting issue. I personally think war is bad, mkay, so people shouldn't be bad by starting wars, mkay. Cancer and birth defects on top of that is kind of horrible.
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Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:36 am |
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TorrentHKU
Loose Canon
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2009 11:07 pm Posts: 2992 Location: --------------->
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Re: Depleted Uranium Ammunition
I doubt that depleted uranium really gives such a huge advantage that it's irreplaceable. Also it's goddamn uranium. I don't care how depleted it is, ♥♥♥♥ was still radioactive AND a heavy metal. Not at all safe for humans to be near.
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Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:49 am |
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Ragdollmaster
Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2007 12:09 am Posts: 1115 Location: Being The Great Juju
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Re: Depleted Uranium Ammunition
Quote: According to recent research, at least some of the most promising tungsten alloys that have been considered as replacement for depleted uranium in penetrator ammunitions, such as tungsten-cobalt or tungsten-nickel-cobalt alloys, also possess extreme carcinogenic properties, which by far exceed those (confirmed or suspected) of depleted uranium itself: 100% of rats implanted with a pellet of such alloys developed lethal rhabdomyosarcoma within a few weeks. So yeah, potential replacements- likely ones inferior in effectiveness- are even more radioactive than depleted uranium rounds. Depleted uranium rounds aren't exactly dished out like candy. They're mainly used for anti-armor or heavy anti-personnel applications. The remains of most depleted uranium rounds are embedded inside the scorched hulls of tanks and armored vehicles, which I'm sure parents make sure their kids stay away from. That's not to say they have no potential health effects whatsoever, but I don't think it's of major significance. Know of any specific case studies, maybe?
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Thu Dec 08, 2011 4:43 am |
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Major
Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 5:30 am Posts: 853 Location: Auckland, NZ
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Re: Depleted Uranium Ammunition
They're designed to KILL people, I doubt the millitary cares about and minor radiation poisoning.
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Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:26 am |
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TorrentHKU
Loose Canon
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2009 11:07 pm Posts: 2992 Location: --------------->
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Re: Depleted Uranium Ammunition
They wouldn't if it were only affecting enemies.
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Thu Dec 08, 2011 3:08 pm |
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Amazigh
Data Realms Elite
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 2:10 am Posts: 1531 Location: Ye Olde England
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Re: Depleted Uranium Ammunition
Quote: Depleted uranium is favored for the penetrator because it is self-sharpening and pyrophoric. On impact with a hard target, such as an armored vehicle, the nose of the rod fractures in such a way that it remains sharp. The impact and subsequent release of heat energy causes it to disintegrate to dust and burn when it reaches air because of its pyrophoric properties. When a DU penetrator reaches the interior of an armored vehicle, it catches fire, often igniting ammunition and fuel, killing the crew, and possibly causing the vehicle to explode. Becuase holy ♥♥♥♥ DU rounds are awesome, sure there are some health risks if you go near to the stuff that's been shot by them, but damn son are DU rounds pimp.
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Thu Dec 08, 2011 4:00 pm |
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TorrentHKU
Loose Canon
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2009 11:07 pm Posts: 2992 Location: --------------->
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Re: Depleted Uranium Ammunition
OK see that's a damn good reason to use it compared to "They're heavy and dense and ♥♥♥♥, let's make bullets out of it."
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Thu Dec 08, 2011 4:11 pm |
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Roast Veg
Data Realms Elite
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 8:27 pm Posts: 4521 Location: Constant motion
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Re: Depleted Uranium Ammunition
I don't see the issue with it, other than don't use it on civvies, but it sounds more hardcore than just mowing down some casual bystanders. We could do without some radioactive battlefields to steer clear of, though.
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Thu Dec 08, 2011 5:53 pm |
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Major
Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 5:30 am Posts: 853 Location: Auckland, NZ
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Re: Depleted Uranium Ammunition
The stuff is HARDLY gonna give you radiation sickness... It is DEPLETED, remember? Also, anyone who handles the rounds and stuff back home would probably be wearing protective gear and the rounds themselves are coated in othe metals. If you were going to worry about this, then I'd worry about the DU in M1A2 hull amour, specifically the glacis plate, civillian aircraft, MEDICAL EQUIPTMENT (where it is speciffically used to SHIELD people from radiation) and in containers to, once again, SHIELD the carrier from radiation.
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Fri Dec 09, 2011 5:11 am |
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Metal Chao
Joined: Sat May 05, 2007 6:04 pm Posts: 2901
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Re: Depleted Uranium Ammunition
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depleted_u ... iderationsMajor this was linked at the top of the topic but I don't think you read it very thoroughly It's not simply a matter of "wear masks" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_War_syndromeThis part is probably especially important
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Fri Dec 09, 2011 5:52 am |
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Major
Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 5:30 am Posts: 853 Location: Auckland, NZ
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Re: Depleted Uranium Ammunition
That is still only the problem if the weapons have been used, not in storage or production, in which case, that is WHY they're being used, because they are better at killing people than non-DU rounds. Also, going near a fresh battlefield is a retarded thing for a civilian to do, the chance of gettin injured is massive, even without the presence of DU, semi dud munitions, fires, other toxic compounds, fuels and other hazards abound in fresh battle fields, with DU poisoning being on of the smaller issues. Toxix DU compounds will also disperse and gradually be broken down naturally over time, while other hazards will not.
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Fri Dec 09, 2011 8:01 am |
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Seraph
Moderator Hero
Joined: Sun Dec 24, 2006 11:28 pm Posts: 868 Location: London Server
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Re: Depleted Uranium Ammunition
I love the smell of pyrophoric depleted uranium shells in the morning. On my sickbed as I die of cancer.
Damn fine choice if you want to kill something in an armoured box, but definitely bad for everybody involved. You would have thought that after all this time/money/accidents/mind-bogglingly-huge-explosions, we would have decided to stop using radioactive substances by now and found an alternative to slaughter our fellow man with.
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Fri Dec 09, 2011 11:50 am |
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Lizardheim
DRL Developer
Joined: Fri May 15, 2009 10:29 am Posts: 4107 Location: Russia
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Re: Depleted Uranium Ammunition
drentrix wrote: In war, the advantages of Depleted Uranium munitions help the United States stomp other countries into the ground.
The United States and its NATO allies maintain that Depleted Uranium dust (a by-product) doesn't cause cancer and birth defects, however, 136 countries are citing other research saying that it does.
Which side do you think is right?
Here is the wikipedia entry: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depleted_uranium I'm pretty sure you're not going to care about cancer when you're getting hit with a 120mm cannon shell to the chest.
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Fri Dec 09, 2011 12:20 pm |
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Metal Chao
Joined: Sat May 05, 2007 6:04 pm Posts: 2901
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Re: Depleted Uranium Ammunition
Lizzrd are you just being silly or did you also not read the article, sometimes it's hard to tell
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Fri Dec 09, 2011 12:35 pm |
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