posted on Feb, 1 2010 @ 03:40 PM
Particles remain radioactive for more than a billion years, while most optimistic estimations claim that effective pollution (active presence of
radioactive particles) can last from ten to ten thousand years - depending on how the particles are spread. The bombs used by US are very deadly - if
you sum all the bombs in a war like the one in Iraq, you'd be able to parallel it with the effect of multiple modern thermonuclear bombs.
In case of nuclear bombs, particles are blown all over, so the very site of explosion can actually be "cleared" while the most radiation ends up in
the sky, effectively infecting the whole planet. In case of your average-joe-bombs dropped by the air force, particles land widely around the target
site.
From what I know, cleaning sites from radiation was never in focus of any major study. While quite a few major studies were aimed at how to cause
radiation. Governments usually just collect all the radioactive stuff, dig some irradiated earth and drop/bury it somewhere. They even put huge
amounts of cement all over the place so the evil atoms remain where they are. In most cases though, nothing is done, like in Iraq.
Serbia had incredible increase of cancer rates after NATO bombings, I personally knew people with this disease which never really goes away - sadly,
one of them is now dead while others struggle with chemotherapy side effects.
It would be nice if someone could do more research on this as I don't see this stuff mentioned a lot on ATS. Most people see US forces as disciplined
marines who provide security to people of Iraq - but the real force is USAF which make entire cities poisonous to humans and lays waste in most
gruesome manner. The civilians killed in war are nothing compared the long term effects which should at least be researched, without the "thats war
suck it up" attitude.
Aside from obvious mutations and degenerated babies - most other effects are long-term and hard to link with radiation, such as lowered immunity and
damaged DNA which is carried through generations. All the possible opportunist diseases will flourish among people in irradiated places.
[edit on 1/2/2010 by SassyCat]