Scientists searched for many years for a use of the more than 500,000 tons of DU stockpiled in the United States. It was discovered that DU was a cheap way to enhance shells and bullets, making them harder and better able to penetrate armor. Aerojet is the Pentagon's largest supplier of DU weapons, producing 60 percent of all DU penetrator bullets. During the Gulf War, DU projectiles were fired by U.S. war planes. Today in Iraq, there are special hospital wards to handle the cases of new born babies that are suffering from radiation diseases and mutations.
Babies have extra toes, fused fingers, and missing ears.
Many of the children have liver and kidney diseases. There has been an increase in leukemia, aplastic anemia, and malignant neoplasms. New studies show that low-level exposure to radiation can cause genetic instability and cancer in children of exposed parents. Exposed persons may not die from cancer, but their off-spring have a greater chance of inheriting mutated cells. The dangers of DU have been noted for many years.