Sunday, March 27, 2011

Press TV (Iran): "'US drops uranium bombs on Libya'"

The PressTV article is based on this Stop the War Coalition article. What is the evidence for the claim? The Stop the War author states "we know that DU is or has been used in the following ordnance" and provides a list. Then he offers the following:
My view is that we have to assume that DU remains in use in the ordnance listed above and that the list is likely to be incomplete. Since we are being told, when we're told anything, that DU is not dangerous and is an effective tool for warfare why would they not continue its use?. So long as that is the official opinion from the military and the politicians we must take it at face value and force them to confirm with evidence that we are wrong and DU is no longer used.
That's a pretty interesting rationale for a lead paragraph that goes like this:
In the first 24 hours of the Libyan attack, US B-2s dropped forty-five 2,000-pound bombs. These massive bombs, along with the Cruise missiles launched from British and French planes and ships, all contained depleted uranium (DU) warheads.
Now let's see what Iran's PressTV makes of this story:
The Stop the War Coalition says the bombs and missiles that the US-led military alliance has dropped on several Libyan cities contain depleted uranium (DU).

The report recently published on the Coalition's website said that in the first 24 hours of the war on Libya, dozens of bombs and cruise missiles were launched by US, British, and French forces -- all with depleted uranium warheads.

US B-2 aircraft dropped forty-five 2,000-pound bombs on key Libyan cities, it added.

DU munitions are controversial because they raise long-term health concerns like kidney damage, cancer, skin disorders and genetic defects.

"[Depleted uranium tipped missiles] fit the description of a dirty bomb in every way... I would say that it is the perfect weapon for killing lots of people," said Marion Falk, chemical physicist (retd.), Lawrence Livermore Lab in California.

The report comes as the Western forces claim the operation in Libya is aimed at protecting civilians.

Director of the US military's Joint Staff Bill Gortney has told reporters at a Pentagon briefing that he is not aware of any use of depleted uranium munitions in Libya.

Libya says at least 114 people -- many of them civilians -- have been killed in US-led airstrikes in the country.

"We are losing many lives, military and civilians," Libyan government Spokesman Mussa Ibrahim said in Tripoli.

Dozens of civilians have been killed in Libya since US-led forces launched aerial and sea attacks on the North African country.

Libyan troops have also killed thousands of civilians since a revolution started against Colonel Gaddafi in mid-February.
If that sounds like a stab at balance, you might be interested in the picture that accompanies the story:

And that's where propaganda comes from.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Your statement comes as the actual Western allows state the actual operation within Libya targets protecting ordinary people.
RS 2007 Gold
FFXIV Gil