The U.S. military used depleted uranium (DU) bullets, which are made of low-level nuclear waste material and which leave toxic and radioactive debris, as it chased Serbian forces from Kosovo. But the Pentagon won’t talk about how much DU ammunition was fired and has issued no warning to the people who live in Kosovo. DU bullets were used for the first time against Iraqi tanks in 1991, but their use in Kosovo is thought to be the first time they’ve been employed in a populated area. In the U.S., the military needs a license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to handle DU, and troops within 50 yards of any vehicle struck with DU bullets must wear respirators and protective suits to avoid contamination. The U.S. has a stockpile of 1.2 billion pounds of radioactive waste left from making bombs, and it gives it away free to weapons manufacturers to make DU bullets.
