Dramatic increases in infant mortality, cancer and leukaemia in the Iraqi city of Fallujah, which was bombarded by US Marines in , exceed those reported by survivors of the atomic bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in , according to a new study. Iraqi doctors in Fallujah have complained since of being overwhelmed by the number of babies with serious birth defects, ranging from a girl born with two heads to paralysis of the lower limbs.
They said they were also seeing far more cancers than they did before the battle for Fallujah between US troops and insurgents. Their claims have been supported by a survey showing a four-fold increase in all cancers and a fold increase in childhood cancer in unders. Infant mortality in the city is more than four times higher than in neighbouring Jordan and eight times higher than in Kuwait. Dr Chris Busby, a visiting professor at the University of Ulster and one of the authors of the survey of 4, individuals in Fallujah, said it is difficult to pin down the exact cause of the cancers and birth defects.
He added that "to produce an effect like this, some very major mutagenic exposure must have occurred in when the attacks happened". US Marines first besieged and bombarded Fallujah, 30 miles west of Baghdad, in April after four employees of the American security company Blackwater were killed and their bodies burned.
After an eight-month stand-off, the Marines stormed the city in November using artillery and aerial bombing against rebel positions. US forces later admitted that they had employed white phosphorus as well as other munitions. In the assault US commanders largely treated Fallujah as a free-fire zone to try to reduce casualties among their own troops. British officers were appalled by the lack of concern for civilian casualties. He added that the US commander who ordered this devastating use of firepower did not consider it significant enough to mention it in his daily report to the US general in command.
Dr Busby says that while he cannot identify the type of armaments used by the Marines, the extent of genetic damage suffered by inhabitants suggests the use of uranium in some form. He said: "My guess is that they used a new weapon against buildings to break through walls and kill those inside. The survey was carried out by a team of 11 researchers in January and February this year who visited houses in Fallujah. A questionnaire was filled in by householders giving details of cancers, birth outcomes and infant mortality.
