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Atomic Veterans Speak Out
GoneGaryT writes "Last night I stumbled across the site for Atomic Veterans, the guys in the forces who were present at the Pacific atmospheric nuclear tests and those who 'cleaned-up' Eniwetok 20 years later. There are scores of testimonies, many from men who have a range of cancers or who have since died from them. The absolute and callous disregard for their health and safety at the time is shocking; I suppose the same kind of thing happened to British, French, Russian and Chinese troops in similar circumstances. The Chernobyl pages discussed here a few months ago were eerie; this site is simply heartbreaking. On the one hand, I hate the idea of this site being Slashdotted, on the other hand, people, you've just got to read some of these testimonies. What happened back then is no joke and I'm not sure if we have half the fallout story even now. For the continental US, see this compilation."
You Can't Hug Your Children With Nuclear Arms! No, but seriously, those guys got hosed :(
You'd think that would discourage the use of depleted uranium in modern warfare.
But you'd be wrong.
America fights dirty.
Cretin - a powerful and flexible CD reencoder
Ok, but is there really a point to this story? I mean really. It's pretty common knowledge that corners were cut to get nuclear programs fielded in time and it's pretty well known that those involved didn't always come out unscathed. This isn't exactly news here. It hasn't been for a long time. Is there really anything beyond the "Ode to the victims of nuclear power" moral lesson I should be getting here, cuz I just ain't feeling it. If this stuff were still happening today I may give an extra shit or two, but the days of ignorance and nessecity are far, far behind us when it comes to the blind employment of nuclear testing and such.
Now why do I doubt that you'll never see a story posted here taking the opposite position-- The benefits of nuclear power and how it was instrumental in stopping Stalin, a real, hardcore mass murderer in check.
Corners were cut. People died due to ignorance. It's sad, but it's not news. In fact, it's been covered and documented in every possible way. But hey, what's a little more rehash between friends, right?
You need a FREE iPod Nano
You got that effectiveness testing right...
6 or tmeyer.html
http://www.thebulletin.org/issues/1997/nd97/nd9
Isn't it nice that nuclear weapons testing poisoned so many americans?
You know, maybe if we hadn't slapped Japan with an oil embargo, they wouldn't have felt the need to attack us... But what am I saying, we all know Oil isn't a good justification for war, that's why you have lie about WMDs...
Think for yourself, destroy your television.
Apologies don't bring anybody back from the dead, but at least it brings home the point that the action was wrong. It is pretty sad that neither the US or Japan want to admit that they did something wrong a lifetime ago.
That would be because that it wasn't wrong for us to use those bombs. Have you ever heard the term "Necessary Evil"? The closest we should come to an apology is "We're sorry that your conduct and the resolve of your people forced us to unleash our most powerful weapon on you."
LK
"Hi. This is my friend, Jack Shit, and you don't know him." - Lord Kano