Iraq / United States

"White phosphorous smoke screens are fired by the US army as part of an early morning patrol in November 2004 on the outskirts of Falluja, Iraq, in preparation for an offensive against insurgents." (Scott Nelson/Getty Images)

Research Links Rise in Falluja Birth Defects and Cancers to US Assault
By Martin Chulov
The Guardian, December 30, 2010
"A study examining the causes of a dramatic spike in birth defects in the Iraqi city of Falluja has for the first time concluded that genetic damage could have been caused by weaponry used in US assaults that took place six years ago. The research, which will be published next week, confirms earlier estimates revealed by the Guardian of a major, unexplained rise in cancers and chronic neural-tube, cardiac and skeletal defects in newborns. The authors found that malformations are close to 11 times higher than normal rates, and rose to unprecedented levels in the first half of this year -- a period that had not been surveyed in earlier reports. The findings, which will be published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, come prior to a much-anticipated World Health Organisation study of Falluja's genetic health. They follow two alarming earlier studies, one of which found a distortion in the sex ratio of newborns since the invasion of Iraq in 2003 -- a 15% drop in births of boys. 'We suspect that the population is chronically exposed to an environmental agent,' said one of the report's authors, environmental toxicologist Mozhgan Savabieasfahani. 'We don't know what that environmental factor is, but we are doing more tests to find out.' The report identifies metals as potential contaminating agents afflicting the city -- especially among pregnant mothers. 'Metals are involved in regulating genome stability,' it says. 'As environmental effectors, metals are potentially good candidates to cause birth defects. The findings are likely to prompt further speculation that the defects were caused by depleted uranium rounds, which were heavily used in two large battles in the city in April and November 2004.
The rounds, which contain ionising radiation, are a core component of the armouries of numerous militaries and militias. Their effects have long been called into question, with some scientists claiming they leave behind a toxic residue, caused when the round -- either from an assault rifle or artillery piece -- bursts through its target. However, no evidence has yet been established that proves this, and some researchers instead claim that depleted uranium has been demonstrably proven not to be a contaminant. The report acknowledges that other battlefield residues may also be responsible for the defects. 'Many known war contaminants have the potential to interfere with normal embryonic and foetal development,' the report says. 'The devastating effect of dioxins on the reproductive health of the Vietnamese people is well-known.' [...]"