[texan]

Interesting reading, and I can agree with you on mostly every point you just made. I'm still not sold on the fact that DU has caused all the mayhem in Basra, partially because of the lack of direct evidence and mostly because I believe many areas of Southern Iraq were exposed to mustard gas and other toxins during the first Gulf War (I believe that mustard gas and sarin are most likely responsible for the "Gulf War Syndrome"). Mustard gas damages the DNA of cells, and Hussein is known to have used it in the past against the Kurds. What's worse, small doses of the stuff (much like radiation, only worse) seem to cause more overall harm than a large dose because the exposure is not immediately deadly or treated. But that's just my hypothesis, and certainly I don't claim it's a good thing we are dispersing even depleted uranium into any zone near people.

It would be very interesting if someone did an honest study of the problem in Basra to confirm what, if anything, is going on there.