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Chemical Weapons Used In Iraq By US Military, Says Italian Documentary

By Drog (Canada), Section Iraq
Posted on Wed Nov 09, 2005 at 10:37:45 AM PST

A documentary aired on November 8 on an Italian state-run satellite channel RAI claims that the United States military used chemical weapons during a bombardment of Fallujah in November 2004. The documentary, entitled Fallujah: The Hidden Massacre, asserts that the US military used white phosphorus on the civilian population during the bombardment, and backs these allegations with interviews with former US soldiers as well as residents of Fallujah.

From Wikinews:

White phosphorus is a spontaneously flammable chemical used in battlefield illumination. Contact with the substance results in burning and melting of skin and flesh. According to an account of a former US soldier, the phosphorus explodes and forms a plume, killing everyone within a 150 metre radius.

White phosphorus bombs are considered incendiary devices, though RAI claims that they are chemical weapons. The US military admits using white phosphorus to illuminate battlefields, but denies having used it as a weapon against civilians. The United States has ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), but has not ratified the "Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Incendiary Weapons (Protocol III)" (.pdf) which forbids the use of incendiary weapons against places with concentrations of civilians.

A statement issued by the United States in December 2004 pointed out that phosphorus shells are not outlawed, and that "US forces have used them very sparingly in Falluja, for illumination purposes." RAI's film, however, alleges that the US has attempted to destroy footage of use of white phosphorus on civilians in Fallujah.

"A rain of fire fell on the city, the people struck by this multi-coloured substance started to burn, we found people dead with strange wounds, the bodies burned but the clothes intact," says Mohamad Tareq, a biologist in Fallujah interviewed for the film. Jeff Englehart, a former US soldier, describes on the documentary: "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."

The Pentagon has previously claimed that white phosphorous was only used for illumination purposes in Fallujah: "U.S. forces have used them very sparingly in Fallujah, for illumination purposes. They were fired into the air to illuminate enemy positions at night, not at enemy fighters." However, the documentary clearly shows two types of munitions being used:

LUU-2 Parachute flares for illumination.
White phosphorous incendiaries being used to attack a large residental area (video). This corroborates the eyewitness testimony in the documentary claiming many civilains were killed in their homes by incendiary materials.

The Pentagon and the U.S. Administration stopped short of denying the claims that white phosporus was used in Fallujah, although U.S. Marine Major Tim Keefe insisted that it was not used to "target" civilians. The use of incendiary weapons against civilians is banned by an additional protocol to the Geneva Conventions that was added in 1980, however the United States did not sign this protocol.

The movie also provides indications that US troops have used MK77 incendiary bombs in Fallujah, which are described as a new, improved form of napalm. The main difference to the napalm used in Vietnam are differences in the mixture, which contains kerosene in place of gasoline. However, the US military does not call them napalm bombs. Using MK77 firebombs against Iraqui troops having a very similar effect to napalm has been confirmed in August 2003 by the US militars Col. Randolph Alles and Col. Michael Daily.

Sources

"US 'uses incendiary arms' in Iraq". BBC News Online, November 8, 2005
Tom Regan "Did the US military use chemical weapons in Iraq?". Christian Science Monitor, November 8, 2005
Peter Popham "US forces 'used chemical weapons' during assault on city of Fallujah". The Independent, November 8, 2005
Phil Stewart "U.S. denies using white phosphorus on Iraqi civilians". Reuters, November 8, 2005
Thomas Pany "Willi Pete in Falludschah (German)". Telepolis, November 8, 2005
James W. Crawley "Officials confirm dropping firebombs on Iraqi troops". San Diego Tribune, August 5, 2003
Peter Popham "US forces 'used chemical weapons' during assault on city of Fallujah". The Independent, November 8, 2005

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Chemical Weapons Used In Iraq By US Military, Says Italian Documentary | 12 comments (12 topical, 0 hidden)

Chemical Weapons (none / 0) (#1)
by progovac87 (USA) on Wed Nov 09, 2005 at 07:24:19 PM PST

First I have to say that I found the documentary very interesting. Most of the articles posted here have already been repeated ad nauseam on traditional news sources so I was grateful to be exposed to something new. So whatever it is worth: good story Drog.

First to be fair to the Americans the documentary should have added that the US military warned the population of Fallujah of the impending attack

They also hyped the destructiveness of white phosphorus which is substantially weaker then Napalm.

I also should add that civilians have always been fair game in any war. It is only now that the PC culture is starting to object to traditional techniques of war.

I will end by stating that I never believed GWB that the major reason for going to war with Saddam was WMDs. I believe that GWB chose this issue to sell a war to the general public. I do not believe GWB lied about the WMDs, I just think he picked this reason to make a speech around knowing it would strike the highest emotional chord with the American public. The actual reason is far more complicated.

: Thoughts (none / 0) (#10)
by you look like a nail (Canada) on Mon Dec 05, 2005 at 09:16:15 AM PST

First to be fair to the Americans the documentary should have added that the US military warned the population of Fallujah of the impending attack
Did the population have the ability to leave? Given that quite a few of them didn't, I'd say that suggests quite a few of them couldn't. Anyhow, the burden to avoid civilian casualties rests with the military forces involved.
They also hyped the destructiveness of white phosphorus which is substantially weaker then Napalm.
WP may not be quite as unpleasant as napalm but it's still a very horrible weapon, and any use of chemical weapons against civilian populations is reprehensible.
I also should add that civilians have always been fair game in any war. It is only now that the PC culture is starting to object to traditional techniques of war.
The status of civilian populations in wartime is a much more complicated subject that you might imagine. There have been times and conflicts when civilian population centres were deliberately avoided, and other times when civilians were deliberately targetted, and many other cases in between. But the record of history isn't an excuse for inhuman behaviour today. Any country which wishes to be viewed as civilized, and certainly any country which wishes to criticize other countries for human rights violations, should not willfully accept the use of chemical weapons against civilians. Saying that it's just 'a part of war' makes you as bad as the people you're fighting against and dissolves any moral argument you could make to justify your wars.
-- Your Reality Check is in the mail.
[ Parent ]

The US is really secretive, isn't it? (none / 0) (#2)
by Demosthenes (USA) on Wed Nov 16, 2005 at 02:29:17 PM PST

It's amazing how few people know about the Bay of Pigs invasion, where the US government pursuaded hundreds of Floridan-Cubans to invade the shores of Cuba, all of them were slaughtered.
The US also gassed and bombed crop farms and municipal buildings during the Cold War, all these were IN the US, in Florida, then they blamed those bombings on the Cuban government. The US hated them for no reason. The people love their communist government and their president, Fidel Castro, yet they just can't come to terms with the fact that the Cubans have rejected US democracy for a stable, profitable system of government.

ROFLMAO (none / 0) (#3)
by Rokkitsci (USA) on Wed Nov 16, 2005 at 06:19:32 PM PST

roflmao roflmao

[ Parent ]

what is roflamo? (none / 0) (#4)
by progovac87 (USA) on Wed Nov 16, 2005 at 07:53:19 PM PST

[ Parent ]

: I suspect... (none / 0) (#5)
by Drog (Canada) on Wed Nov 16, 2005 at 10:54:27 PM PST

... this:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=roflmao

[ Parent ]

news... (none / 0) (#6)
by xmlles (USA) on Thu Nov 17, 2005 at 02:36:27 AM PST

Can you point to a reputable news source anywhere in the world -- China -- Britain -- ANYWHERE-- to substantiate this? I mean... I don't see Cuban Americans defecting back to Cuba to return to the glorious communist regime of Fidel Castro. I don't see US Athletic teams running out of the airport in Cuba. I don't see US citizens taking to the open ocean on rafts made out of surplus doors to reach Havanah.
I also wouldn't consider a "stable, profitable government" one in which people are starving to death, grocery stores are rationing food and people are afraid to openly criticize their leadership.
I mean, come on... I enjoy a good Cohiba as much as the next guy, but if you're honestly praising Castro's Cuba as a stable, profitable government, then you've probably smoked a few too many of them...

ROFLMAO with Rokkitsci...

[ Parent ]

US admits use of white phosphorus in Iraq (none / 0) (#7)
by Drog (Canada) on Thu Nov 17, 2005 at 09:50:19 AM PST

From Wikinews:

A documentary aired by Italy's state-run RAI24 television has led to an admission from U.S. military of use of white phosphorous munitions during actions in Fallujah The documentary alleged the U.S.A. used the weapons in a "massive and indiscriminate way" against Iraqi civilians, but the military denies the weapons were used against citizens. Embedded Journalist Darrin Mortenson, who was with U.S. troops during the operation in Fallujah, already reported in April 2004 that a mortar team leader "directed his men to fire round after round of high explosives and white phosphorus charges into the city Friday and Saturday".

The U.S. State department initially denied that white phosphorus was used as weaponry, but Pentagon spokesman, Lt. Col. Barry Venable said white phosphorous munitions were used as an incendiary weapon against enemy combatants. "It was not used against civilians," he said in a Tuesday briefing. Lt. Col. Venable repeated U.S. State department statements that white phosphorous munitions are a standard field artillery element. Up until at least April 2001 it was "against the law of land warfare to employ WP against personnel targets" according to the U.S. Army Battle Book.

The Pentagon briefing directed reporters to the March-April 2005 edition of the U.S. Army's Field Artillery magazine, where veterans of the Fallujah action described their use of white phosphorous munitions to "flush [insurgents] out", and it use as a screening agent (providing smoke cover) and as "a potent psychological weapon against the insurgents in trench lines."

The 1980 Convention on Conventional Weapons (Protocol III), which the USA is not a signatory to, disallows the use of incendiary weapons against civilian populations or air attacks against troops stationed in a civilian population center, but does not outlaw its battlefield use. General George Casey's 8 November 2004 briefing estimated the number of civilians still in Fallujah as between 20 000 and 100 000 civilians.

White phosphorous burns at temperatures near 5 000 degrees Fahrenheit (2760 C). It is used to start fires but cause severe burns where it strikes humans. The Italian documentary showed photos of what it said were Iraqis who had been burned by the white phosphorous. The accepted lethal dose of white phosphorous is 1mg/kg.

The smoke raises contentions for its battlefield use. It is primarily used as a "marker", as the high temperature combustion causes "pillaring" of the smoke column. But the smoke does contain phosphoric acid and traces of unburned phosphorous, which is corrosive to human tissue (internally and externally.) The US Army Field Manual cautions "Phosphorous smoke produces phosphoric acid. Soldiers must wear respiratory protection, such as protective masks, if exposed to phosphorous smoke."

US use of white phosphorus in Iraq might constitut (none / 0) (#8)
by Drog (Canada) on Thu Nov 17, 2005 at 09:51:09 AM PST

From Wikinews:

Yesterday the United States admitted using weapons containing white phosphorus during a major offensive in Fallujah. The question is to what end the use of the weapon is legal under various conventions of war.

The way white phosphorus munitions are used determines if it falls in the category of chemical weapons, says Professor Paul Rodgers from the University of Bradford department of peace studies. "It is not counted under the chemical weapons convention in its normal use but, although it is a matter of legal niceties, it probably does fall into the category of chemical weapons if it is used for this kind of purpose directly against people." Professor Paul Rodgers is the writer of the book "A War on Terror: Afghanistan and After".

The Iraqi government will investigate the American use of white phosphorus munitions during the battle of Fallujah. The inquiry will try to determine whether US forces committed war crimes according to international weapons treaties.

A spokesman for the US military, Lt. Col. Barry Venable, said yesterday when US admitted the use of white phosphorus as an incendiary weapon, that "White phosphorus is a conventional munition. It is not a chemical weapon. They are not outlawed or illegal."

Battlefield concentrations of white phosphorus gas are generally considered harmless: there are no documented cases of white phosophorus gases resulting in fatalities. However, its use as an incendiary is under question. The United States reportedly ordered civilians to evacuate areas wherein white phosphorus was going to be used.

Sir Menzies Campbell, Member of the British Parliament (Liberal Democrat), says: "The use of this weapon may technically have been legal, but its effects are such that it will hand a propaganda victory to the insurgency. The denial of use followed by the admission will simply convince the doubters that there was something to hide."

Didn't he said: Love each other as I love you...? (none / 0) (#9)
by ranzak (Peru) on Tue Nov 22, 2005 at 09:22:19 PM PST

To what have we come up to? To where are we going to? How can we tolerate such crimes against humanity! There's none valid reasons for doing the things that are taken place at war at this time. Now, right now in this moment, war is turning humnas more into instinct animals of destruction than into thoughtful persons. How are we suppose to overcome that? Us, as thoughtful human beings, we are suppose to get better each time. Wether it is technologicaly, sociable, and, spiritual. As a great believer of my faith, we shouldn't harm each other just beacuse of whims and between commun intests with others. We are in some reason in this world for growing and developing in every campus mentioned. So, in orer to achieve that we must enfazise in doing good for others. Not destructing them or vanishing them from the earth's crust.

opinion (none / 0) (#11)
by ginotte (Afghanistan) on Fri Oct 13, 2006 at 10:23:55 AM PST

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re (none / 0) (#12)
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Chemical Weapons Used In Iraq By US Military, Says Italian Documentary | 12 comments (12 topical, 0 hidden)

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