In contradiction with its own mandate, the World Health Organization (WHO) continues to suppress evidence uncovered in Iraq that US military use of depleted uranium (DU) and other weapons have not only killed many civilians but are also the cause of an epidemic of birth defects and other public health issues.
A WHO and Iraq Ministry of Health Report on cancers and birth defects was to be released in November 2012 but was deferred. According to the WHO, the report’s release has been delayed because its analysis needs to be evaluated by a “team of independent scientists.”
By refusing to release the report publicly, the WHO effectively protects the US military and its government from accountability for the resulting public health catastrophe. Halliday’s report draws comparisons between the Iraqi case and the legacy of health issues arising from US use of Agent Orange in Vietnam.
Source: Denis Halliday, “WHO Refuses to Publish Report on Cancers and Birth Defects in Iraq Caused by Depleted Uranium Ammunition,” Global Research, September 13, 2013, http://www.globalresearch.ca/who-refuses-to-publish-report-on-cancers-and-birth-defects-in-iraq-caused-by-depleted-uranium-ammunition/5349556.
Student Researcher: Jessica Clark (Sonoma State University)
Faculty Evaluator: Andy Lee Roth (Sonoma State University)