CANCER ON A DIME: Mystery weapons allegedly used in Gaza developed at military bases in Va., Fla.

[DogPoundPup]

excerpt~
The military's own scientists have shown that tungsten alloy presents a serious cancer risk for anyone exposed to it in the form of embedded shrapnel. In a 2005 study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, they report what happened when they implanted pellets of weapons-grade tungsten alloy in rats to simulate shrapnel wounds and then compared them to rats implanted with tantalum, an inert metal, and nickel, a known carcinogen:

The high-dose tungsten alloy-implanted rats (n=46) developed extremely aggressive tumors surrounding the pellets within 4-5 months after implantation. The low-dose tungsten alloy-implanted rats (n=46) and nickel-implanted rats (n=36) also developed tumors surrounding the pellets, but did so at a slower rate. Rats implanted with tantalum (n=46), an inert control metal, did not develop tumors.

What the researchers call "tumor yield" was 100% in both the low- and high-dose tungsten alloy groups. That is, all of the rats implanted with tungsten alloy developed tumors -- a relatively rare cancer of the skeletal muscle cells called rhabdomyosarcoma that quickly spread to the animals' lungs.

The researchers also observed significant changes in the blood of the high-dose tungsten alloy-implanted rats that indicated polycythemia, a condition in which the body produces too many red blood cells. The blood changes took place as early as one month after the rats received the tungsten alloy implants, well before any signs of a tumor.

Fosse has called for following up with injured patients in Gaza to see if there are any cancers that may be caused by the weapons.

The Israeli military has refused to confirm or deny the use of specific munitions, but it maintains that all of its weapons comply with international law. Interviewed last week by Democracy Now!, Human Rights Watch military analyst Marc Garlasco said his group is aware of the reports of DIME use in Gaza but still had no definitive evidence because its monitors weren't being allowed into the territory. If the weapons were deployed there, he said, "it remains to be seen" how Israel acquired the technology.

http://www.southernstudies.org/2009/01/cancer-on-a-dime-mystery-weapons-allegedly-used-in-gaza-developed-at-military-bases-in-va-fla.html

[aquart]

1. Wait. NICKEL is a carcinogen? NICKEL?

That stuff in my pocket? In jewelry?

[williesgirl]

2. No wonder no one was allowed in for so long. They're hoping the dead will already be buried. US is

most likely complicit in this as they had to come from us. Shame on us. Those who allowed this to happen should be tried for war crimes.

[RC]

3. War in itself should be a war crime.

It is the Innocent civilians who suffer the most in any war.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

8. If DIME exists, it could easily have been made in Israel. The technology is not special nor secret

Also the USAF does not acknowledge having DIME. Nothing in any defense trade magazine or in Janes.

All of the DIME reports go back the Mads Gilbert. He is the seminal source. Gilbert did take a credibility hit early in the Gaza war with a hospital video that looked staged. Not sure what came of that. Either way it would not make him wrong or right over DIME.

[hedgehog]

4. A weapon that causes cancer several years down the road would seem to

be rather ineffective in an actual battle.

[peacetalksforall]

6. Are you saying a month for rats and years for humans? That doesn't seem right if

the effects are as serious as hinted.

I am now firmly convinced that Israel wants those people out of that little geographic spot on this earth. They want the earth resources and they are acquiring it in a very inhumane way whether tungsten alloy or not.

Now, the tears again and the rage against Israel.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

9. Ahhh, thats not how DIME works (if it even exists)

In a shotgun, the smaller the shot, the shorter distance it travels. Basic physics and its why the guy Chaney shot survived.

DIME is very small particles of dense metal mixed with explosive. When it detonates, there is no shrapnel (carbon fiber case) and the dense metal dust is only lethal for a very short range. In range its devastating, outside its nothing. The goal is to minimize collateral damage. The Gobal Security article on it is quite good.

So far DIME has been experimental only. No nation has announced it as deployed. No sign of it in trade pubs or Janes either. Its not all that hard to make and any nation that can make military bombs or shells can do it.

[madrchsod]

5. nickel is nasty stuff....

for years the plant i worked used nickel to plate steel components...nasty shit that was`t regulated until the epa regulations went into effect. they finally had to stop the plating line when our sewage plant refused to take the waste water....

those alloys are used in nuclear weapons because of the resistance to melting at extreme temperatures. nasty shit to use on civilians.

[oberliner]

7. How did you happen to come across this story?

Just curious - I've never heard of or seen the "southernstudies" website cited here before.

[IndianaGreen]

12. Just have your fellow Israel megaphones Open New File 'southernstudies'

and add the poster to your enemies list.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

[oberliner]

13. Huh?

I was just asking the poster how they came across this story.

The site used was new to me - haven't seen it on DU before.

[hack89]

10. Assuming you survive the shrapnel in the first place.

DIME weapons have a reduced blast radius - it seems to me that the risk of cancer is probably outweighed by the fewer number of people killed in the initial blast.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

11. Sort of depends

It would be reasonable to expect some sort of ring around that blast that was outside the lethal zone and inside the safe radius. Dermal insertion of particles at a non lethal even non wounding level would be reasonably expected there. While that is conjecture on my part, that would be what the physics indicates.

DIME was evaluated as one of several technologies for low collateral damage by the USAF. No nation has acknowledged taking it to production and deploying them.