Seven months since the beginning of the occupation of Iraq by the United States, more and more realities about the war are coming to light.

An expert in nuclear sciences in the U.S. stated on November 22 that large sections of Iraq are highly contaminated with radioactive material. Dr. Asaf Durakovic, the medical director of the Uranium Medical Research Centre, which is an independent organization with offices in the U.S. and Canada, said that U.S. and British troops used depleted uranium in Iraq, contaminating many parts of the country.

During a visit to Iraq last month, a research team gathered approximately 100 samples, such as soil and tissue samples from dead Iraqi soldiers, in Baghdad, Basra, Najaf, and seven other cities. The tests showed that the radiation levels of the samples are between 100 and 1000 times higher than normal. Durakovic said, “These samples show that much more depleted uranium was used in this war compared to the previous (Persian) Gulf War in 1991. The Pentagon admitted to using 300 tons of depleted uranium during the (Persian) Gulf War in 1991.”

Dr. Durakovic, who was a U.S. Defense Department doctor for 19 years, has calculated that 1700 tons of depleted uranium was used in Iraq. Experts expect an increase in birth defects and cancer in Iraq.

There has been a sharp rise in birth defects, cancer, and various other diseases in southern Iraq since 1991, which even U.S. doctors have attributed to the use of depleted uranium during the 1991 war. These are undeniable realities. So, who is responsible? Does the United States, which claims it invaded Iraq to bring democracy and peace to the Iraqi people, have an explanation for its inhumane actions?

Probably not, since the United States used Iraq as a laboratory to test its latest high-tech weapons. Unfortunately, the Iraqi people will be experiencing the consequences of this genocidal action for generations to come.