Stephen Lendman: NATO is NOW USING NUCLEAR WEAPONS in LIBYA

As part of a Libya International Observer Team, Middle East Analyst Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya headlined his July 5 Global Research Article: "NATO War Crimes - Scientist finds Depleted Uranium". The sites targeted include Civilians and Libya's Civilian Infrastructure! Scientists have confirmed radioactive isotopes at bombed sites from field surveys, and an analysis was conducted at the Libyan Nuclear Energy Institution. The "bottom line result" showed that many sites contained even higher than expected doses of uranium from NATO missiles and ordnance fragments. In interviews, an investigator said cluster bombs and other weapons are used freely in civilian neighborhoods, and are targeting non-military sites with illegal "dirty bombs", just as our US used to contaminate Fallujah in Iraq for centuries. In the case of Fallujah, independent observers discovered an enormous number of birth defects. On April 14, Foreign Policy in Focus columnist Conn Hallinan told Press TV that: The fact that the US is denying the use of depleted uranium (DU) munitions is just nonsense." When used against tanks, enormous fireballs are visible, a unique DU signature. As a result, "long-term consequences for Libyans are going to be severe." On April 19, investigative journalist and author Dave Lindorff also told Press TV that strong evidence points to DU, saying: "The way some of these armored vehicles and tanks have been hit look like it's pretty strong evidence that it is depleted uranium. It's the kind of explosive burn that you get from that particular ammunition, and certainly the US has been flying A-10's, which generally use DU shells in their armaments." On June 6, Dr. Randy Short repeated the same charge, telling Press TV viewers that the NATO targeted Tripoli residential areas were hit with DU weapons, cluster bombs, and other "illegal" substances. Depleted uranium weapons cause cancer, birth defects and other diseases. Using them in built-up areas in effect targets civilians. First developed by the Navy in 1968, Israel tested them under US supervision during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Later, they were sold to 29 or more countries, but never used until the 1991 Gulf War, when America broke an international prohibition. Thereafter, thousand of tons contaminated air, water and soil in targets zones and well beyond. Although no international convention or treaty bans them, they are de facto and de jure illegal under the 1907 Hague Convention, prohibiting "poison or poisoned weapons" use. Also, under the 1925 Geneva Protocol, as well as later under Geneva and other conventions, specifically banning chemical, biological, and other poisoned weapons. In all forms, DU is radioactive and chemically toxic, thus conforming to Hague's poisonous weapons definition. Using them is therefore a war crime.