Depleted Uranium in US Weapons

Depleted uranium is used in armor plating, radiation shielding, ballast in missiles and aircraft counterweights. Soldiers are advised to be away from the impact of vehicles containing or hit by depleted uranium to prevent heavy metal poisoning. This isn't always possible for troops, and the Iraqi people who live in continuous combat have even more difficulty escaping the deleterious effects of depleted uranium on the battlefield. This is the country where they live after all. What kind of effects does the use of DU have exposed Iraqis? The concerns about radiation are not as troubling as depleted uranium being a potentially poisonous heavy metal. Depleted uranium dust and shrapnel exposure have been cited as the source of birth abnormalities leukemia by returning US soldiers. It is unclear if the dramatically increased incidence of cancer in Basra, where the water supply was contaminated by depleted uranium, can be completely attributed to DU. But this does spell concerns about the use of depleted uranium ammunition. While the US has resisted attempts to ban the use of depleted uranium, studies still point to the tenfold increase in childhood cancer as signs that the use of depleted uranium for tactical reasons needs to be reexamined.