this post was submitted on 03 Sep 2023
205 points (100.0% liked)

World News

1034 readers
40 users here now

News from around the world!

Rules:

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 

The use of depleted uranium munitions has been fiercely debated, with opponents like the International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons saying there are dangerous health risks from ingesting or inhaling depleted uranium dust, including cancers and birth defects.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] roguetrick@kbin.social 52 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Whatever munition you choose, it will lead to heavy metal poisoning.

[–] tryptaminev@feddit.de 15 points 1 year ago (1 children)

depleted uranium is much worse than conventional ammo.

[–] letsgocrazy@lemm.ee 37 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Being invaded is worse.

The quickest way to save the most amount of lives is whatever gets rid rid of Russia the quickest.

No question.

Depleted Uranium is hardly dangerous.

Another booby trapped mine with a grenade underneath gets placed by Russians every 4 minutes.

Another Ukrainian citizen is tortured.

And now there are reports of Ukrainian children being tortured.

Bring on the napalm.

[–] tryptaminev@feddit.de 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Depleted Uranium is dangerous for anyone exposed to it. It will be a persistant environmental pollutant that could render large areas unsuitable for agriculture. Downplaying the effects is stupid and dangerous.

We need to talk about the effects and weigh the military benefit vs. the long term problems. Also for the military benefit you cannot take the shortcut of assuming no AP munitions to be used otherwise. Also the question is whether stronger AP abilities are needed, as Abrams should make quick work of T64s and probably T72s with normal AP rounds too.

So we have to weigh a potentially marginal benefit with a significant long term health effect. I trust the Ukranian army and government to make that decision, but again the issues shouldn't be downplayed. Because of downplaying and ignoring the issues with it there is thousands of American and British vets that suffer from diseases and birth defects in their children, struggling to get it recognised and properly compensated.

[–] Gladaed@feddit.de 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Depleted uranium is not much different from lead. Heavy metals are unhealthy. It is barely radioactive as it is made from the rather stable uranium isotopes. (Hence depleted)

[–] Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyz 5 points 1 year ago

Uranium is pretty toxic compared to lead. LD50 is roughly 114 mg/kg vs. 4665 mg/kg depending on source. If you happen to get that dust inside your body, the radiation isn’t going to help you stay healthy either.

[–] mycorrhiza@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 year ago

the "quickest way to save the most amount of lives" is peace talks. Both armies are locked in a stalemate and the war is going nowhere.

[–] zephyreks@programming.dev 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Whatever water you drink, it will lead to heavy metal poisoning (eventually).

[–] squaresinger@feddit.de 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Whatever music you listen to, it will lead to heavy metal poisoning. Or to malmusicion.

[–] TWeaK@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Whatever heavy metal poisoning you get, it will lead to murmaider.

[–] avidamoeba@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 year ago

Not sure if dad joke.

[–] Gladaed@feddit.de 1 points 1 year ago