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Former Army expert blows whistle on uranium ammunition

01:51 PM PDT on Thursday, October 9, 2003

By PAT MCREYNOLDS / KING 5 News

SEATTLE - A recently retired major who was the Army's expert on depleted uranium is now blowing the whistle on widely used U.S. ammunition he claims is poisoning U.S. troops.

Physicist Doug Rokke retired from the Army nearly three weeks ago and now has made it his mission to rid this ammunition from the world's arsenals.

Rokke is traveling the country, trying to bring justice to thousands of veterans who he said are now sick and dying from exposure to our own weapons. Rokke spoke at a panel discussion with other experts in the field as well as Congressman Jim McDermott in Seattle Monday night.

After the Gulf War, U.S. Central Command put one man in charge of measuring the impact and overseeing the environmental clean up from depleted uranium munitions, extremely heavy radioactive shells used by the U.S. and Britain to pierce heavy armor. That man was major Doug Rokke.

"The purpose of war is to kill and destroy,‰ said Major Rokke, U.S. Army (ret.). „And uranium ammunitions are the ultimate weapon."

But Rokke quickly learned that his findings were never meant to be taken seriously. In fact, he was told as much by his commanders.

"We know there's health and environmental effects,‰ Rokke said his commanders told him, ‰but when you prepare your reports, make sure we still get to use uranium munitions. Cut and dry."

Depleted uranium breaks into a fine dust when exploded and is easily inhaled or absorbed through the skin. But the U.S. government continues to deny any evidence showing a link to a myriad of illnesses diagnosed to thousands of Gulf War and Balkan veterans.

"We have not found any link between illnesses and exposure to depleted uranium," said Kenneth Bacon, former Pentagon spokesperson.

But Rokke's own Veterans Administration doctor said his cataracts, fibromyalgia, and other serious illnesses are directly linked to his exposure, and only one of his more than 400 member clean up team is healthy and not on disability.

"You've got thousands of veterans all over this area that are sick,‰ said Rokke. „And they‚re denied medical care, because they don't want to acknowledge liability."

And it's not just veterans. Along with allies, the enemy, and civilian non-combatants, Rokke claimed the Navy shoots uranium shells right off the Washington coast and into prime fishing waters.

Now considered a whistleblower, Rokke said he will continue to counsel veterans groups and speak out until the U.S. gives up its favorite weapons.

"At the end, I answer to the citizens of the world and I answer to God,‰ said. „Time to finish the job."

Rokke said he made the decision to come forward after a long conversation with his minister. For his work with depleted uranium, the Army awarded him with a medal.

Page created October 10, 2003 by Charlie Jenks

 

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