06/16/08
The US invasion of Iraq destroyed an entire swath of fragile Iraqi desert ecosystem. Apparently driving multi-ton armored vehicles and dropping bombs, missiles, other explosives and depleted uranium all over the desert completely kills the desert soil structure, turning the entire system into a (more) desolate dust bowl which blows away. At least in the summer, there are strong winds from the north west which sweep across Iraq and into Kuwait to the south east, bringing literally countless tons of the Iraqi desert with them. So locals wear respirators and landowners talk up the soil fertility benefits of the orange dust. Too bad most of it goes out to sea, or into our eyes, ears, and lungs.
Posted by ozob 
