Dear Editor:
A Jan. 14 letter to the editor about the Iraq situation contained a number of unsupported opinions that seemed to be passed off as facts. I would like to comment on one of them. The letter stated that, “The use of depleted uranium in the Persian Gulf War has caused an alarming increase in cancers and other diseases in Iraq.”
I try to keep abreast of issues such as this and have seen no epidemiological studies that would in any way support such a claim. I often see claims such as this one planted in the media by those whose objective is to sway public opinion rather than convey accurate information. If the letter-writer knows of any objective scientific evidence that would support his assertion, I would be very interested in seeing it.
James F. Jackson
Provo
Visiting professor of chemical engineering
