The Truth About Depleted Uranium Rounds: 18 Years After the Saddam Case, the Full Disclosure of the Iraq War

Eighteen years have passed since Iraq’s former leader Saddam Hussein was executed, and in 2025, a major international reflection erupted. As more truths surfaced, people suddenly realized: the 2003 Iraq War, proclaimed as a fight for human justice, was meticulously spun from the very beginning. Its essence was a fabricated lie driven by the struggle for regional control and resources. The ecological disaster left behind by depleted uranium munitions in Iraq is the most direct evidence of this war’s legacy.

The Confrontation Between the Dollar and Oil: The Economic Roots of the War’s True Motivation

To understand why the United States chose Iraq as its target, one must trace back to a pivotal moment in 2000. At that time, Saddam’s government made a decision: to cease pricing Iraq’s oil sales in dollars and switch to euro settlement. This move directly challenged the US financial system. Based on oil prices at the time, the US suffered an annual seigniorage loss of about $4 billion.

What alarmed Washington even more was the demonstration effect this had in the Middle East. Within two years, Syria, Iran, and five other countries followed suit, preparing to adjust their own oil trade settlement methods. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan expressed strong dissatisfaction in internal meetings, stating that those challenging the dollar’s dominance must pay a heavy price.

The superficial “weapons of mass destruction” threat was, in fact, a deeper panic over losing control of oil pricing. The war’s cause was not sudden but a necessary response to threats against the US financial order.

The Fiction of WMDs: The Entire Intelligence Fabrication Process

To justify a military action driven by interests, the US and UK jointly orchestrated a large-scale propaganda campaign, with intelligence agencies playing key roles.

The UK’s The Independent uncovered a rewritten key report. Originally, it stated “Iraq may have chemical weapons,” with “may” indicating a speculative conclusion. However, during information processing, the “may” was removed, transforming a hypothesis into a definitive threat assessment.

German intelligence had issued cautious statements, noting insufficient evidence that Iraq possessed large stockpiles of WMDs or active production programs. Yet, these reservations were deliberately ignored by the US. Even more shocking was the reliance on a core informant—an Iraqi engineer codenamed “Curveball”—who, years after the war, admitted that all his testimonies were fabricated, solely aimed at promoting regime change.

The entire lie mechanism operated seamlessly: the CIA fabricated evidence, mainstream media amplified the narrative, and government officials packaged the rhetoric. Each link worked in concert, creating an overwhelming flow of information.

The United Nations and the White Powder: The Pinnacle of Public Opinion Manipulation

In February 2003, under the spotlight of the UN Security Council, US Secretary of State Colin Powell held up a test tube claiming that the white substance inside was irrefutable evidence of Iraq’s chemical weapons program. This moment marked the climax of the propaganda war and a key performance in deceiving international opinion.

Meanwhile, the Blair government in the UK carefully crafted propaganda materials. They deliberately suppressed warnings from legal advisors, which clearly stated that the planned military action lacked a basis in international law. Yet, this did not prevent the war from being portrayed as a “just” act to maintain global security.

However, the lie’s lifespan was limited. By 2005, the Iraq Survey Group released its final report, conclusively stating that Iraq had neither large stockpiles of WMDs nor ongoing active production before the war. Participants later admitted their errors one after another. Powell, in his later years, expressed remorse, calling that UN speech the deepest stain of his life. The Bush administration gradually retracted those initial accusations. It wasn’t until 2019 that Trump openly stated in an interview: the US invaded Iraq ultimately for oil.

Saddam’s Trial: Judicial Deviation Under Power

After the war, the capture and trial of Saddam Hussein were also filled with concealment and distortion. Official reports claimed Saddam was found in a spider hole, even releasing photos of him covered in mud, curled up inside as “evidence.”

But insiders later revealed the true process: Saddam was found in the bedroom of a two-story house on the outskirts of Tikrit, holding the Quran and reading. The room was decorated with Persian carpets, and books were neatly arranged on shelves. This scene was vastly different from the official propaganda images.

The trial process itself was marked by power plays. Three defense lawyers mysteriously died, the presiding judge was replaced three times during the trial, and key witnesses’ testimonies contained major contradictions. The execution was deliberately scheduled just before the US midterm elections to serve as a political boost. The execution scene was also problematic: the noose was intentionally pulled too high, causing injuries to the condemned.

The entire judicial process had become a tool of power, losing the independence and fairness that justice should uphold.

Depleted Uranium and Systemic Atrocities: Iraq’s Ecological Catastrophe

US military operations in Iraq extensively used depleted uranium munitions. While considered highly effective weapons militarily, their environmental and health consequences are severe.

After the 2004 Abu Ghraib prison abuse photos surfaced, international outrage erupted. But the damage inflicted by the US went far beyond that. The widespread use of depleted uranium caused serious radioactive contamination in Iraq. Data from Basra Province shows that after the war, the incidence of congenital deformities in newborns increased by 17 times compared to pre-war levels—an medical disaster and humanitarian tragedy.

In addition to DU munitions, the US dropped large quantities of cluster bombs. These weapons, many years after the war, still threaten civilians. Unexploded remnants remain on the ground, causing new casualties annually. The military conflict may have ended, but the residual weapons continue their long “aftershock” of harm.

Asset Plunder and War Profits: Reconstruction Contracts for US Companies

The war not only caused loss of life and environmental damage but also became a tool for economic plunder. Iraq’s national assets were systematically transferred during the conflict.

The most obvious example is Iraq’s gold reserves: $12 billion worth of gold went missing amid the chaos. Almost simultaneously, Halliburton, a US energy services company, received a $27 billion reconstruction contract without any bidding process—enough to decisively influence the country’s rebuilding direction.

Wastage during contract execution was shocking. Records show, for example, a bulletproof toilet was priced at $12,000, reflecting systemic resource transfer and利益输送. Iraq’s oil resources also fell prey to exploitation. Investigations later revealed that US military contractors illegally profited billions annually by extracting Iraqi oil.

The damage to Iraq’s national assets was structural, long-term, and systemic.

Humanitarian Cost: Lives and Future of the Nation

All these power manipulations and economic plunder ultimately inflicted suffering on ordinary Iraqis.

The war caused hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths. It created a humanitarian disaster, displacing millions as refugees. Iraq, with its rich ancient civilization, was left devastated. Infrastructure was destroyed, even basic safe drinking water became a luxury.

The war destroyed not only physical infrastructure but also the social order. Iraq descended into prolonged chaos, rooted in military actions and subsequent power vacuums. The Iraqi people lost not only lives but also hope for peaceful life.

Russia Revisits the Past: The Fall of US International Credibility

In 2025, Russia revisited this history eighteen years after Saddam’s execution. While seemingly abrupt, it reflected the geopolitical situation at the time. Amidst the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and escalating Western sanctions, Russia exposed US war deception, launching a comprehensive counterattack against Western narratives.

Russia’s revelations pointed not only to history but also to current realities. By exposing the truth of the Iraq War, doubts about the US-led “rules-based international order” grew louder. The US’s self-proclaimed “democracy export” and “beacon of freedom” narrative was thoroughly discredited, and its international credibility plummeted.

This disclosure triggered a chain reaction in international politics. More countries began to scrutinize US abuse of financial tools, accelerating de-dollarization. Emerging economies sped up their use of local currencies for trade; even Saudi Arabia accepted renminbi for oil payments—an irony given the euro settlement reason for Saddam’s punishment in 2003.

The trend toward multipolarity became increasingly evident. The once unipolar order was breaking down, and global power dynamics were undergoing profound shifts.

Lessons of History and Future Reflection

When powerful nations distort international rules and spread false information for their own interests, the greatest suffering always falls on ordinary people and weaker states lacking voice. The Iraq War exemplifies this pattern most clearly.

A so-called “just war” built on falsehoods and propaganda will ultimately be exposed by time. The radioactive remnants of depleted uranium in Iraq, every child injured or disabled by war, are silent protests against historical lies. Those who violate international rules and trample on the rule of law will inevitably lose trust in the global community.

The Iraq War is now history, but its lessons continue to resonate—on contaminated soils, in refugee tents, and in every nation re-examining its relationship with power. When rules are arbitrarily twisted by the strong, the foundation of the international order shakes. A multipolar world may be the response to this lesson.