US "Allegedly" using white phosphorus bombs on civilians in Iraq

[Master of Reality]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4417024.stm

Italian state TV, Rai, has broadcast a documentary accusing the US military of using white phosphorus bombs against civilians in the Iraqi city of Falluja. Rai says this amounts to the illegal use of chemical arms, though the bombs are considered incendiary devices.
Eyewitnesses and ex-US soldiers say the weapon was used in built-up areas in the insurgent-held city.
The US military denies this, but admits using white phosphorus bombs in Iraq to illuminate battlefields.
Washington is not a signatory of an international treaty restricting the use of white phosphorus devices.


Transmission of the documentary comes a day after the arrival of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani on a five-day official visit to Italy.
It also coincides with the first anniversary of the US-led assault on Falluja, which displaced most of the city's 300,000 population and left many of its buildings destroyed.
The documentary was shown on Rai's rolling news channel, with a warning that the some of the footage was disturbing.
The future of the 3,000-strong Italian peacekeeping contingent in Iraq is the subject of a political tug-of-war, says the BBC's David Willey in Rome.
'Destroyed evidence'
The documentary begins with formerly classified footage of the Americans using napalm bombs during the Vietnam war.
It then shows a series of photographs from Falluja of corpses with the flesh burnt off but clothes still intact - which it says is consistent with the effects of white phosphorus on humans.
Jeff Englehart, described as a former US soldier who served in Falluja, tells of how he heard orders for white phosphorus to be deployed over military radio - and saw the results.

"Burned bodies, burned women, burned children; white phosphorus kills indiscriminately... When it makes contact with skin, then it's absolutely irreversible damage, burning flesh to the bone," he says.

Englehart interview
Last December, the US state department issued a denial of what it called "widespread myths" about the use of illegal weapons in Falluja.
"Phosphorus shells are not outlawed. US forces have used them very sparingly in Falluja, for illumination purposes. They were fired into the air to illuminate enemy positions at night, not at enemy fighters," the US statement said.
However, the Rai film also alleges that Washington has systematically attempted to destroy filmed evidence of the alleged use of white phosphorus on civilians in Falluja.
Italian public opinion has been consistently against the war and the Rai documentary can only reinforce calls for a pullout of Italian soldiers as soon as possible, our correspondent says.
Both the Italian government and opposition leaders are talking about a phased withdrawal in 2006.
President Talabani and the US say the continued presence of multi-national forces in Iraq is essential.

So the US is gassing Iraqi civilians. Your views?

[Force Recon]

woah.sick.

the news is authentic right?(It says allegedly)

[Mast3rofPuppets]

Last time white phosphor and Iraq was used in the same sentence was in '88.

[Artie Bucco]

white phosphorous is an incendiary weapon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_p...rus_incendiary

[Mihail]

I don't believe it. Just like I don't believe that cancerous Depleted Urainium dust is floating all over iraq aka "gulf war syndrome"

[Mast3rofPuppets]

Originally Posted by Artie Bucco

white phosphorous is an incendiary weapon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_p...rus_incendiary

That is true, it's used in smokegrenades for example, but IIRC dedicated white phosphorous weapons counts as a chemical weapon in the Geneva convention.

[Big {Daddy}]

We've found some WMD. Yee Haw!

[Ensign Riles]

Heh, without Karl Rove to lead him, Bush comes up with an interesting argument concerning WMDs.


I wouldn't be too surprised. The U.S. has gone against international law or tried to avoid it many times in the past. We are working to torture prisoners, why not use these "chemical weapons"?

I think more attention should be focused on the whole torture issue than something a little less credible than this, though. Stick with your strong cases...

[Komrad_B]

Ah hypocrisy...

We should use sanctions on the US, and then invade them after ten years.

[USMA2010]

White phosphorous has not been used as a weapon for decades. So Artie, find something else. Any jackass can edit Wikipedia.

However, that chemical is used in starlight flares and some smoke generating explosives. This reporter is full of crap, that simple. Its like saying we are using APFSDS rounds against Iraqis, just to irradiate them.