Canada offers forum for lecturer barred from U.S.

[Bragi]

Source: Globe and Mail (Toronto)

JONATHAN WOODWARD
From Wednesday's Globe and Mail

VANCOUVER — A highly regarded Iraqi epidemiologist who wants to tell Americans about an alarming rise in cancer levels among Iraqi children will come to Canada instead because he couldn't get a visa to the United States.

Unable to travel to the University of Washington, Riyadh Lafta -- best known for a controversial study that estimated Iraq's body count in the U.S.-led war in Iraq at more than half a million -- will arrive at Simon Fraser University in B.C. this month to give a lecture and meet with research associates.

"The University of Washington wanted him, but the U.S. denied his entry," said his colleague at SFU, Tim Takaro. "They need to be able to collaborate, even if his results are unpopular with the Americans. Now he's at SFU, and the best they're going to get is a video feed."

Once in Canada, Dr. Lafta will present estimates that paint a damning portrait of the war's ravages on children: that birth defects are on the rise since the war began, and that the number of children dying from cancers such as leukemia has risen tenfold.



Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070411.wxiraqi11/BNStory/National/home

[SpiralHawk]

1. "All your truth are belong to us." - BushCo republicon Big Government

"Move along. There is nothing to see here. You citizens have no need to know what your government has done."

-- BushCo republicon Big Government

[Quantess]

10. "All your truth are belong to us"

I see that a lot. What was the original context of that?

[0rganism]

12. originally "all your base are belong to us", courtesy of Zero Wing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_your_base_are_belong_to_us

cf
http://allyourbase.planettribes.gamespy.com/index.shtml

[JohnyCanuck]

2. When a WMD is not a WMD

When it's depleted uranium being showered across the landscape by the US military.

By the early 1900s, uranium was well recognized to be a kidney toxin. By the mid-1940s, uranium was known to be a neurotoxin. By the early 1970s, uranium was recognized to be a carcinogen based on mortality studies of uranium workers and on experiments with dogs and monkeys. The first evidence that uranyl ions bind to DNA was reported in 1949 and by the early 1990s, uranium was shown to be a mutagen. Also, in the early 1990s, uranium was shown to be a teratogen, that is, an inducer of birth defects. The toxic effects of uranium on the kidney and on the nervous system typically occur within days of exposure and radiation probably plays little or no role in mediating these effects. In contrast, the carcinogenic effects of uranium have a delayed onset. The teratogenic effects of uranium might be due to exposure of one parent prior to conception as well as to exposure of the mother to uranium early in pregnancy.

Now let us briefly consider the routes of exposure to uranium. In the context of the dust particles derived from depleted uranium weapons, this means exposure to uranium oxides. By far the most dangerous route of exposure to uranium oxides is the inhalational or respiratory route. Absorption of uranium oxides through the gastrointestinal tract, the skin and the conjunctivae is possible but quite limited.

SNIP

Soil particles contain uranium at very low concentrations, typically less than 5 parts per million; the vast majority of these soil particles, however, are too large to be inhaled deep into the lungs. In contrast, the dust particles derived from depleted uranium weapons contain very high concentrations of uranium, typically more than 500.000 parts per million; moreover, most of the D.U. dust particles are sufficiently small to be inhaled deep into the lungs. Thus, compared to the uranium naturally present in the environment, D.U. dust contains uranium in a form that is vastly more bio-available and more readily internalized.

Uranyl ions bind to DNA; they bind in the minor groove of DNA. While bound to DNA, uranyl ions are chemically reactive and can give rise to free radicals which may damage DNA. Chemically mediated DNA damage of this type may contribute to the ability of uranium to induce cancers.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4124449

[Bragi]

3. This could be a dubious "first"

Is there another instance ever in which an epidemiologist has been banned from a country because of their research findings?

- B

[rodeodance]

4. "people outside Iraq do not realize the real disaster we are suffering,"

Dr. Lafta had tried for six months to get a visa into Seattle to speak in Washington, and was ignored a half-dozen times, Dr. Takaro said.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services couldn't be reached for comment. But a spokesman for Seattle Democratic Congressman Jim McDermott said he couldn't understand the decision. "Jim's certainly more than a little unhappy about it. We don't know whether this was a snafu or more than that," Mike DeCesare said. "Certainly with the doctor not able to be on the campus, and engage directly with people, you've got to believe that's a net loss for everybody."

Dr. Lafta was born in Baghdad in 1960, was trained as a physician at Baghdad University College and then worked for 14 years for the Ministry of Health under Saddam Hussein. He became the head of the communicable disease department and then the primary-care department of Diyala province in northern Iraq.

Dr. Lafta, who is still in Iraq, couldn't be reached by e-mail yesterday. But Dr. Takaro shared a message from his personal communication. "The main point is that people outside Iraq do not realize the real disaster we are suffering," Dr. Lafta writes. "Only the Iraqi people know that, simply because the foreigners are listening to the news while we are living the events on the ground."

[MasonJar]

5. We have ruined the basin of civilization for a 1000 years with our

totally uncivilized behavior.

[Heidi]

6. Kick.

:kick:

[EFerrari]

7. K&R

:mad:

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[TrogL]

9. That's right - blame Canada

One of the last bastions of free speech.

[Lisa]

11. I hope U-Dub can pipe that video connection into their biggest auditorium

I would not be surprised if a lot of people on campus want to hear about this. Especially after they find out that their own government has been trying to keep this scientist from talking to them. Sure sounds like it goes beyond "ignored", into "suppressed". It would be great if Congressman McDermott could be there to heard the findings, as well.

[Bragi]

13. Good plan Lisa... /nt

[MountainLaurel]

16. Georgetown is doing something similar

With Tariq Ramadan, who was denied a visa for a scholar's position at Notre Dame.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/10/AR2007041001509.html

[Mnemosyne]

14. And of course, US troops are immune to the effects.

:grr:

[JohnyCanuck]

15. This Canadian unfortunately found out he wasn't immune.

Terry Riordon was a member of the Canadian Armed Forces serving in the Gulf War. He passed away in April 1999 at the age of 45. The official cause of death was Gulf War Syndrome.

Terry went to the Persian Gulf in December 26, 1990 with honor, dignity and pride - serving his country as Captain J. Terry Riordon of the Canadian Armed Forces. Terry left Canada a very fit man who did cross-country skiing and ran in marathons. On his return only two months later he could barely walk.

He returned to Canada in February 1991 with documented loss of motor control, chronic fatigue, respiratory difficulties, chest pain, difficulty breathing, sleep problems, short-term memory loss, testicle pain, body pains, aching bones, diarrhea, and depression. After his death depleted uranium (DU) contamination was discovered in his lungs and bones.

For eight years he suffered his innumerable ailments and struggled with the military bureaucracy and the system to get proper diagnosis and treatment. His wife, Susan Riordon, speaks most eloquently of the nightmare of physical, mental and emotional hardship endured not just by Terry but his entire family.

http://www.umrc.net/riordon.aspx

[entanglement]

17. Kick

[roody]

18. k

[kitty1]

19. Let's hope this gets much needed international exposure..n/t

[donkeyotay]

20. The NaaaNNaa, Lalalalala, Can't hear you administration

The GOP are ostriches. It doesn't matter whether depleted uranium is killing people. The only thing that matters is whether anyone finds out. If it isn't discussed on teevee, it didn't happen!

What a disgrace for the US that the visa is denied not for terra, but for pure censorship.