Dear List Members,

Francis's concerns about the orchestrated (from the government angle) press blackout on DU deaths are well take.

Check out the major English-language press wire services: Not one word on DU or the Balkan Syndrome in the past twenty four hours on AP. Reuters, UPI, BBC or Agence France Presse. Instead, today's New York Times and International Herald Tribune (both newspapers of record)  have major stories of the denial/minimization sort. Barely short of affirming that depleted uranium is good for one.

This is phase two of the NATO-run propapanda/disinformation/blackout strategy. Phase one was conducted from March-June of 1999, replete with hysterical assertions of Kosovo killings (William Cohen: 100,000; David Sheffer two days later: 200,000) and adamant denials of bombings of civilans and civilian targets by NATO.

It's a revelation even to me, though, how thoroughly compliant the corporate, ostensibly independent, media are in these matters. All the more reason for us to employ all outlets and contacts we have to get this story out, and to network with all peace, anti-nuclear, anti-Iraq sanctions, Vieques solidarity and disarmament activists to make common cause against this scourge and the system behind it.

Thanks,
Rick