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Six years after the intense fighting began in the Iraqi town of Fallujah
between US forces and Sunni insurgents, there is a disturbingly large
number of cases of birth defects in the town.

Fallujah is less than 40 miles (65km) from Baghdad, but it can still
be dangerous to get to.

As a result, there has been no authoritative medical investigation,
certainly by any Western team, into the allegations that the weapons
used by the Americans are still causing serious problems.

The Iraqi government line is that there are only one or two extra
cases of birth defects per year in Fallujah, compared with the national
average.

'Daily cases'

But in the impressive new Fallujah General Hospital, built with
American aid, we found a paediatric specialist, Dr Samira al-Ani, who
told us that she saw two or three new cases every day.

Most of them, she said, exhibited cardiac problems.

I have nothing documented. But I can tell you
that year by year the number is increasing

Dr Samira al-Ani

Fallujah General Hospital

When asked what the cause was, she said: "I am a doctor. I have to
be scientific in my talk. I have nothing documented. But I can tell you
that year by year, the n... >>>