"I maintain that depleted uranium was used on Iraq and is one of the components of the destruction of the health of the Iraqi people. This has been verified." - Stringsinger

Well no you claimed that depleted uranium was used in cluster bombs in Iraq - put quite simply - it wasn't.

DU ammunition was used in the area:

1: Probably in great quantities during the eight year long Iran/Iraq War 1980 to 1988 (But of course that would have no detrimental impact on the health of the Iraqi people as it wasn't fired by the US or any of their allies).

2: It was fired in great quantities during desert storm January to March 1991 at Iraqi armour in locations far removed from any large centres of population. (But of course only that fired by the US and their allies would have had a detrimental impact on the health of the Iraqi people)

3: A shed load of it was fired by Saddam Hussein's Hind gunships as they suppressed the Shia rebellion in and around Basra in the immediate aftermath of Desert Storm (Estimated death toll was ~200,000) were in addition to all those DU rounds Saddam drained marshes and poisoned ground water to punish the Ma'dan who had to flee to Iran or get killed (But of course none of that had a detrimental effect on the health of the people of Iraq)

4: Very little was fired during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and what was fired was restricted to attacking armour (But of course all of this had a marked and detrimental effect on the health of the Iraqi people)

As far as I am aware no-one is advocating an invasion of Syria and as of the vote of the House of Commons last night the UK will be taking no action at all - just as well really as we have got nothing to take any action with.

As for "Christmas's" contentions about the vast arsenal of weapons sent to Syria by Britain:

A) All he can come up with is the granting of an export licence for NATO standard rifle ammunition (115,000 rounds) with no evidence whatsoever that the shipment was ever made.

B) The licence was granted in 2009 (Current problems in Syria erupted in March 2011) , yet he assumes that all those killed in Syria to date have been killed solely by ammunition allegedly supplied by an exporter who he blithely assumes to be the British Government or an unscrupulous "Brit" (IIRC the man was a Dane or a Dutchman).

Too bloody daft for words.