The legacy of Agent Orange

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/4494347.stm


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3>The legacy of Agent Orange

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><!-- S BO --><!-- S IIMA --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD> Vietnam doctors believe the effects of Agent Orange are ongoing

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IIMA -->Thirty years after hostilities ended between the US and Vietnam, relations remain strained by one of America's most notorious weapons during the war, the chemical Agent Orange.

The Vietnamese believe that the powerful weed killer - the use of which was intended to destroy crops and jungle providing cover for the Vietcong - is responsible for massively high instances of genetic defects in areas that were sprayed.

Nguyen Trong Nhan, from the Vietnam Association Of Victims Of Agent Orange and a former president of Vietnamese Red Cross, believes the use of Agent Orange was a "war crime".

He told BBC World Service's One Planet programme that Vietnam's poverty was a direct result of the use of Agent Orange.

"They are the poorest and the most vulnerable people - and that is why Vietnam is a very poor country," he said.

"We help the people who are victims of the Agent Orange and the dioxins, but the capacity of our government is very limited."

Contaminated areas

Campaigners such as Mr Nguyen believe they have been left with little choice but to resort to legal action, and in 2004 took the chemical companies that produced Agent Orange to court in the US.

But last month an American Federal District Judge dismissed the case on the grounds that use of the defoliant did not violate international law that the time. An appeal has been lodged against this decision.

The US sprayed 80m litres of poisonous chemicals during Operation Ranchhand. There were many Agents used, including Pink, Green and White, but Agent Orange was used the most - 45m litres sprayed over a 10th of Vietnam.

It was also used - mostly in secret - over parts of neighbouring Cambodia.

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It's not going to go away, because it affects a huge number of people in Vietnam


Andrew Wells-Dang, Fund for Reconciliation and Development

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IBOX -->But Agent Orange in particular was laced with dioxins - extremely toxic to humans. Dioxins accumulate in the body to cause cancers. Anyone eating or drinking in contaminated areas then receives an even higher dose.

Spraying stopped in 1971, after more than 6,000 missions and growing public disquiet.

But the ground in many areas of Vietnam remains contaminated by Agent Orange. A number of people in these areas believe they are victims of the chemical.

One woman said the herbicide had caused a skin disease which gave her "great suffering".

"If the US and Vietnamese governments could care for people like me, that would be comforting," she added.

Another man said his legs have "wasted away" as a result of Agent Orange.

"When I realise I have been contaminated with poisonous chemicals, and the US government hasn't done anything to help, I feel very said, and it makes me cry," he added.

"Now I always get severe headaches. My first child has just died - he had physical deformities. The second one is having headaches like me."

Cancers and disease

Food and supplies are still delivered to victims of Agent Orange. Many were not born when the US sprayed the area - but there is strong evidence the chemicals are still having an effect.

A disproportionately large number of children in the areas affected are born with defects, both mental and physical. Many are highly susceptible to cancers and disease.

And Vietnamese doctors are convinced Agent Orange is to blame.

<!-- S IIMA --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD> Agent Orange was intended to defoliate the jungle

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IIMA -->"This is due to the US sprayings," said Dr Hong Tien Dong, village doctor who has lived in the area all his life.

"Before, in this area, the environment was quite clean.

"Now it has become like this."

In the late 1990s, a Canadian study tested soil, pond water, fish and duck tissue, as well as human blood samples, and found dangerously high levels of dioxin travelling up the food chain to humans.

Dioxin concentrations have been found to be 13 times higher than average in the soil of affected areas, and, in human fat tissue, 20 times as high.

A Japanese study, comparing areas sprayed with those that were not, found children were three times more likely to be born with cleft pallets, or extra fingers and toes.

There are eight times as many hernias in such children, and three times as many born with mental disabilities.

In 2001, scientists found that people living in an Agent Orange "hotspot" at Binh-Hoa near Ho Chi Minh City have 200 times the background amount of dioxin in their bloodstreams.

Humanitarian opportunity

America "normalised" relations with Vietnam 10 years ago, and the country has now embraced the free market.

No representative of the US government in Vietnam would talk to One Planet about Agent Orange.

However, in 1984, chemical companies that manufactured the Agent paid $180m into a fund for United States veterans following a lawsuit. They did not, however, admit any wrongdoing.

Meanwhile in 2004 - at the same time Mr Nguyen first brought his lawsuit - a joint-US-Vietnamese project to examine the long-term genetic impact of Agent Orange was cancelled.

<!-- S IIMA --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD> US Vietnam veterans won money from Agent Orange makers in 1984

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IIMA -->Some Americans in Vietnam fear that the legacy of Agent Orange is overshadowing the new friendship between the two countries.

"Many of the other obstacles have been dealt with - trade and exchange and diplomatic relations," said Andrew Wells-Dang, from the Fund For Reconciliation And Development - an American organisation set up in the 1980s with the aim of improving relations between the countries.

He pointed out that the US has provided funding for clearing mines that it dropped on Vietnam during the war.

"We think the US should do the same with Agent Orange" he added. "It's not going to go away, because it affects a huge number of people in Vietnam. "We would see this as an opportunity for the US to take humanitarian action so that it doesn't become an obstacle between the countries."<!-- E BO -->


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[CzarJunkie]

In the past 100 years the US have:

1) Dropped 2 atomic bombs, the only country to have done so in anger.
2) Become the earth's biggest polluter
3) Become the world's biggest consumer of natural resources
4) Killed millions of innocent civilians in numerous wars/invasions
5) Propped up many dictators who in turn went on to kill millions of their own citizens
6) Spawned the global economy that has seen the gap between poor and rich nations grow
7) Spent more money on developing weapons than any other nation on earth and continues to spend in excess of $400 billion a year


They truly are fukin evil.............

[mladen]

True,

The US should be compensating these people. The kid does look frickin hilarious though, like something out of a cartoon

[DelTrotter]

8) but most importantly provided top Quality entertainment for all. all is forgiven!!!


God Bless America

[gadgetman]

In the past 100 years the US have:

1) Dropped 2 atomic bombs, the only country to have done so in anger.
2) Become the earth's biggest polluter
3) Become the world's biggest consumer of natural resources
4) Killed millions of innocent civilians in numerous wars/invasions
5) Propped up many dictators who in turn went on to kill millions of their own citizens
6) Spawned the global economy that has seen the gap between poor and rich nations grow
7) Spent more money on developing weapons than any other nation on earth and continues to spend in excess of $400 billion a year


They truly are fukin evil.............

Well put m8, couldn't have said it any better........ :thumbs

[gallag]

In the past 100 years the US have:

1) Dropped 2 atomic bombs, the only country to have done so in anger.
2) Become the earth's biggest polluter
3) Become the world's biggest consumer of natural resources
4) Killed millions of innocent civilians in numerous wars/invasions
5) Propped up many dictators who in turn went on to kill millions of their own citizens
6) Spawned the global economy that has seen the gap between poor and rich nations grow
7) Spent more money on developing weapons than any other nation on earth and continues to spend in excess of $400 billion a year


They truly are fukin evil.............

1) Dropped 2 atomic bombs, the only country to have done so in anger.

come on, surley you are glad they did,,ffs so many people goin on about how bad america is but can you think what would of happend to us if they dident

2) Become the earth's biggest polluter

also the earths biggest economy and has a population of 290,342,554 so is it any wonder,,,do you really think that if for example germany had 290,342,554 and a economy of $1.946 trillion it would pollute any less

3) Become the world's biggest consumer of natural resources

again is that any suprise,do you think all 290,342,554 of them would get by on what the uk consumes?

4) Killed millions of innocent civilians in numerous wars/invasions

cant really argue with that, but also let it be said that they also saved many times more lifes by doing so

5) Propped up many dictators who in turn went on to kill millions of their own citizens

dont really know enough about this to comment so ill take your word for it

6) Spawned the global economy that has seen the gap between poor and rich nations grow

thats just crap, thats like me saying your a git for doing well in life and that you should sell everythink you own and give 9/10 of the money to the poor
you cant condem a country for doing well

7) Spent more money on developing weapons than any other nation on earth and continues to spend in excess of $400 billion a year

again is it any suprise that the richest country spends the most,
your a smart guy, what do you think would happen if america stood down from being police of the world, i really think that if it wasent for usa,uk etc we would be dead by now, some country would have nuked us by now in the name of some god



do you not think that is sadam got nukes he would of used them

do you not think the world is a better place without him

i hope when the uk usa go to war that my goverment has my best intrest at heart, do you think that tony blair would risk his own famileys life, some times the goverment might not tell us every detail about national securety or mabey they do need to fib now and agian but if it keeps me and them and the rest of my countrey men and women safe then so be it

[shitball]

said it last night i'll say it again they are a "superpower" actions first answers later.

[Mule]

1)
2) Become the earth's biggest polluter

also the earths biggest economy and has a population of 290,342,554 so is it any wonder,,,do you really think that if for example germany had 290,342,554 and a economy of $1.946 trillion it would pollute any less

The US contains 4% of the world's population but produces about 25% of all carbon dioxide emissions. By comparison, Britain emits 3% - about the same as India which has 15 times as many people.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/1820523.stm <- good read.

[shitball]

In the past 100 years the US have:

1) Dropped 2 atomic bombs, the only country to have done so in anger.
2) Become the earth's biggest polluter
3) Become the world's biggest consumer of natural resources
4) Killed millions of innocent civilians in numerous wars/invasions
5) Propped up many dictators who in turn went on to kill millions of their own citizens
6) Spawned the global economy that has seen the gap between poor and rich nations grow
7) Spent more money on developing weapons than any other nation on earth and continues to spend in excess of $400 billion a year


They truly are fukin evil.............

Take a look at English History mate gets better...

[CzarJunkie]

1) Dropped 2 atomic bombs, the only country to have done so in anger.

come on, surley you are glad they did,,ffs so many people goin on about how bad america is but can you think what would of happend to us if they dident

Yes, I'm over the moon they killed over 250,000 innocent men, women and children

2) Become the earth's biggest polluter

also the earths biggest economy and has a population of 290,342,554 so is it any wonder,,,do you really think that if for example germany had 290,342,554 and a economy of $1.946 trillion it would pollute any less

And thats an excuse is it? As the richest nation on earth they have the scope to do more than anyone to clean up the environment, but yet they take every opportunity to ignore world opinion and efforts such as the Kyoto accords

3) Become the world's biggest consumer of natural resources

again is that any suprise,do you think all 290,342,554 of them would get by on what the uk consumes?

China has over 1 Billion people has does India so that argument is somewhat flawed

4) Killed millions of innocent civilians in numerous wars/invasions

cant really argue with that, but also let it be said that they also saved many times more lifes by doing so

Thats horseshit they've done it purely for world dominance

5) Propped up many dictators who in turn went on to kill millions of their own citizens

dont really know enough about this to comment so ill take your word for it

6) Spawned the global economy that has seen the gap between poor and rich nations grow

thats just crap, thats like me saying your a git for doing well in life and that you should sell everythink you own and give 9/10 of the money to the poor
you cant condem a country for doing well

If you knew anything about globalisation and the damage it has done to 3rd world communities you wouldn't talk such bollocks.

7) Spent more money on developing weapons than any other nation on earth and continues to spend in excess of $400 billion a year

again is it any suprise that the richest country spends the most,
your a smart guy, what do you think would happen if america stood down from being police of the world, i really think that if it wasent for usa,uk etc we would be dead by now, some country would have nuked us by now in the name of some god

And by spending less on defense will enable other countries to get Nukes???? I suppose thats why North Korea has never developed any..... :| $400 Billion is an obscene amount and when oil runs out and the US create a stranglehold on world supplies do you think they will give a f**k about the UK? We're an aircraft carrier parked off the northern coast of Europe, nothing more

[CzarJunkie]

Take a look at English History mate gets better...

You are spot on m8, we're no better, our empire building was a disgrace

[shitball]

You are spot on m8, we're no better, our empire building was a disgrace

<TABLE height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left width="100%">We're an aircraft carrier parked off the northern coast of Europe, nothing more

Now thats a cracker...
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[gallag]

Quote:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">1) Dropped 2 atomic bombs, the only country to have done so in anger.



come on, surley you are glad they did,,ffs so many people goin on about how bad america is but can you think what would of happend to us if they dident

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Yes, I'm over the moon they killed over 250,000 innocent men, women and children


Hiroshima was an important army depot and if Tokyo was captured it would have become the governments headquarters. As well if the Allies had invaded Japan they estimate over 1,000,000 people would have been killed, and all of Japan would have been ravaged. With the dropping of the bomb Japan ended the war with far less casualties then if an all-out invasion had occured,, do you not think that if japan could they would have done it first?

then who would they of nuked?

[shitball]

It's a classic tale of an eye for an eye no war has won anything but lost everything,the only thing we got out of war is we all don't speak German.

[TwoPlAnKs]

has a population of 290,342,554

what a load of complete bullshit, its actually 290,342,553

seriously though, all developed countries use a much higher percentage of resources than their population and land area - something needs to be done about it. its obvious why, not many starving eithiopians can afford bmw X5s but having more money should allow us to spend more on solving the problem

its also common knoledge that there is enough food and goodness for everyone in the world, its just that nobody can be arsed sorting it all out.

the political ideologies get it all wrong, communism attempted equality and created dictators, even here we have a system of immigration to allow the neediest people to live here and use our plentiful resources and freeloaders abuse it to cause the hatred towards all asylum seekers.

with an out of date stupid redneck running the world, what can we expect? everyone is interesting in themselves and their buddies, everyone wants a cut of the money for themselves and nobody is willing to find the best soloution to allow other people to benifit - from things as small as pulling out in front of someone on your way to work to using all the resources in the world and preventing poorer people from getting them.

[burner1]

5) Propped up many dictators who in turn went on to kill millions of their own citizens...

dont really know enough about this to comment so ill take your word for it

The U.S Backed Saddam in the eighties with funding etc... for military hardware during the Iran/Iraq war in the middle East.. when it suited them, he was a 'friend' to Iraq.. when Saddam started to ignore the U.S 'influence', Bush... like his father, got a shitty on with them, look at the results of that. It is true that we have been called an aircraft carrier/ refuelling stop off point in the eyes of the American military since WW2, we're all puppets in one way or another for an arrogant race of people (And before you say it, I don't consider a historical link to our shores as justification to calling them 'British', they're not, they are an independant country after kicking us out, remember). To compare our history to the yanks is crap, they haven't been around that long in terms of history, but done a lot of damage in a short time, and we may have been a dominant influence in certain parts of the world in the past, but we never had a policy of shoot first at anything in our sites, wether it's women, kids, or men and ask questions later. I would say that if Blair (Or whoever gets in on the next government) said "F*ck off" to America, it wouldn't take long for the yanks to think up some shite excuse to slur us.

Yoo may notice, I don't like yanks (Maybe some of that is based on my own experience having to had to deal with them in the past in a military context).. but I would say dropping them A bombs during WW2 was the best way to end the war in the far East.