The Editor,

The Globe & Mail

Toronto

8 Feb. 2000

Dear Editor:

Re: "Uranium in bones may boost debate" {Feb. 8,}

It is encouraging to see that some of the facts about the causes of the Gulf

War syndrome are coming out, and the cover-up is being dismantled. Thousands of veterans have sustained serious disability and disease that appear convincingly to be related to the use of depleted uranium ,by the U.S. and Britain, in that war. These veterans deserve our support and governmental acceptance of responsibility.

Interestingly, however, there is very little or no mention of the impact of the use of depleted uranium on the millions of Iraqi civilians who were exposed to this radioactive material. Reports of massive increase, since 1991, in the incidence of leukemia, cancer and birth defects in Iraqi children have been documented by U.N. and international health agencies.

It is, surely, time that those responsible for this crime are made to account for this responsibility.

Yours sincerely

Ismail Zayid,M.D.