What the hell? Why isn't the White Phosphorous story all over the news??

[Bush_Sucks]

Outrageous.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. You are talking of our free media

SEE preetty white girl missing in Aruba...

[Loonman]

2. Katie Couric can't wink and bat her lashes

Covering a story like that.

[Dewatson]

26. We should all recommend this thread!

I don't have enough posts would someone recommend it for me?

[Midnight Rambler]

3. Probably using the pretext that the images are too graphic for TV

Which is bullshit, of course. But I think we all know how much we as a people are succeptible to bullshit.

[sabate]

4. It's not very newsworthy......

...white phosphorus has been used in anti-personnel weapons since at least WWII.

[On the Road]

6. Can You Elaborate?

There seems to be a disconnect here on this issue -- a lot of statements that it's unusual and illegal under current treaties.

I really don't know. It would just surprise me if it were common and accepted the way it was discussed on the Italian documentary and here on DU.

On Edit:

Looks like Wikipedia has a basic answer:

Use of white phosphorus is not specifically banned by any treaty, however the 1980 Convention on Conventional Weapons (Protocol III) prohibits the use of incendiary weapons against civilian populations or by air attack against military forces that are located within concentrations of civilians. The United States is among the nations that are parties to the convention but have not signed protocol III.

[sabate]

10. History of white phosphorus use and arms control status

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_phosphorus_incendiary .

Quoting from the article: "Use of white phosphorus is not specifically banned by any treaty, however the 1980 Convention on Conventional Weapons (Protocol III) prohibits the use of incendiary weapons against civilian populations or by air attack against military forces that are located within concentrations of civilians. <2> The United States is among the nations that are parties to the convention but have not signed protocol III."

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. You answered why it is significant

gues what we did? Aparently violated Protocol III, see you told us why it should be news

Good job

[sabate]

14. Ahhh...but the U.S. did not sign Protocol III....nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

28. So

a war atrocity is a war atrocity...

[Dewatson]

22. I wish people wouldn't use wiki for this kind of stuff

I mean don't people just write whatever they want there?

Why doesn't this thread have any recommendations? If I could do it I would, but saddly I don't have enough posts.

[sabate]

27. OK...this is not wiki...Fallujah stories debunked

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/2005/050127-fallujah.htm

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. WW I

and it is how it was used that makes it news worthy... by the way enjoy your stay

[prescole]

9. The story is newsworthy for several reasons, I think

1. The military has apparently admitted to using WP on populated areas, where civilians were bound to be effected.
2. The war was started supposedly to prevent the use of chemical weapons.
3. The use of WP is another piece of evidence that Bush is fighting this war in a way detrimental to the US image around the world (torture, the black gulags, indefinite detentions, little white lies...or is it white phosphorous lies?)

[willing dwarf]

5. Can you elaborate, since it's not in the news anywhere...

[medeak]

7. on DU home page n/t

[Bush_Sucks]

36. Watch this...

http://www.rainews24.rai.it/ran24/inchiesta/video/fallujah_ING.wmv

[stop the bleeding]

11. Shhhhhhhhhhh

this is not news look the other way, oh what was that a terra alert?

[Dewatson]

13. because they are disgusting cowards

[stop the bleeding]

15. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[Dewatson]

17. Thanks

:hi:

we are the media now!

here is a diary I saw at kos, I found really touching

Every Mother's Child
by Melodybe

Thu Nov 10, 2005 at 08:04:10 AM PDT

We have to get these pictures out to the public. America has to see the creulty that we are inflicting on others. I personally am calling Clinton, Kennedy, Kerry, Trent Lott, Thad Cochran, and a few other Senators today. I'll have links handy and I plan on asking every receptionist I talk to if they personally have seen the Italian video. We can not let them do this, and for once I'll steal a RW talking point by saving, "it's for the children." If you haven't watched the video yet I suggest you muster up your courage and see for yourself what it going on. If we don't keep bringing it up, if we don't send it to our friends, families, and represenatives there will not be a demand for the atrocities to stop.

I am the mother of 2 young boys. This is my vow to work even harder to ensure that this is not done in our names.
This now has a new and improved title thanks to MamaBear who suggested it.

Melodybe's diary :: ::
My children are beautiful. Luke is 3 1/2 and Xander is 28 months. Already both of my sons are advanced for their ages. Luke is reading and counting. Xander can keep a beat, can count to 6, and is good with names. Luke is shy, always has been. He likes cars (BTW he can name over a hundred of them from the Lotus Elise to the Honda Civic) he likes animals and he thinks that bugs are the coolest thing on earth. Xander was a ladies man from day one, smiling and flirting with every pretty waitress or receptionist. He likes our cats, follows his big brother around all the time, and loves Clifford the Big Red Dog. The differences in their personalities is already great; Luke an introvert, Xander the extrovert. They both love music. You can see in the eyes of both grandads visions of little league and pee wee football.

Last week Xander learned how to tell me that he loves me. He crawls in my lap, kisses my cheek, and says "I lub ooh, mama."

I think of the children in Iraq, some as young as my own. I picture sitting in my living room and hearing a black helicopter hovering over my roof. It's loud, from a speaker I hear what sound like orders being angrily shouted in a language I don't understand. Then I hear the loud crashing of a bomb falling through my ceiling. The last thing I see and hear is my children screaming as acid eats their tender flesh away. This is just a nightmare for me, but for the mothers of Iraq it is a reality.

Although I might be a raging liberal, my children aren't, well not yet anyway. Luke could care less about gay rights or tax incentives for oil companies. He is too busy playing video games and learning about different cars. Right now all he cares about is that the news makes mama sad and that I need a kiss to make it better. Xander could care less about the war or Diebold, he just wants to be picked up and if he hurts himself he knows that mama and daddy will be there with a hug and a bandaid. They are innocent of any political persuasion, children just like them, the same ages as them, are being killed right now.

I had seen the pictures before, this story is old, this documentary is not. The realities of that carnage are available for the world to see, it is our duty to fight this, to demand that it stops.

These images are horrific and definiately depressing. After viewing the video I couldn't sleep, my heart aches for any mother that has witness their children being destroyed like this. It's so hard to deal with, knowing that our troops are being told to do this, knowing that they will forever be warped because they have to follow orders. After seeing this video I was angry and so sad.

I decided to listen to lots of music to help me cope, I listened repeatedly to Jeff Buskley's cover of Hallelujah, Rage Against the Machine and finally Where is the Love by the Black Eyed Peas.

I know that their is plenty of Peas hatred, Clear Channel has the tendency to destroy plenty of good bands with excessive play, so while I understand that some may ridicule me for listening to that song, that is what I did.

While listening I am taken back to 2003, we had just gone to war with Iraq and this was the ONLY song played on the radio that seemed to say anything important. Back in the days of Bush 70%+ approval ratings and ignorant patriotism, this song reminded me that some people get it. I was all alone in my views and America was confused and dark. This song makes me feel optimistic, so I went back to it for comfort.

Lyrics:

What's wrong with the world mama?
People living like aint got no mamas
I think the whole worlds addicted to the drama
Only attracted to the things that bring you trauma
Overseas yeah we tryin to stop terrorism
But we still got terrorists here livin
In the USA the big CIA the Bloodz and the Crips and the KKK

Link to secret CIA prisions:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/....

But if you only have love for your own race
Then you only leave space to discriminate
And to discriminate only generates hate
And if you hatin you're bound to get irate
Yeah madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and operates
You gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love y'all

People killing people dying
Children hurtin you hear them crying
Can you practice what you preach
Would you turn the other cheek?
Father Father Father help us
Send some guidance from above
Cause people got me got me questioning
Where is the love?(where is the lovex3)(the love2x)

It just ain't the same all ways have changed
New days are strange is the world the insane?
If love and peace so strong
Why are there pieces of love that don't belong
Nations dropping bombs
Chemical gases filling lungs of little ones

Link to Italian Video:
http://www.rainews24.rai.it/....

With ongoing suffering
As the youth die young
So ask yourself is the loving really strong?
So I can ask myself really what is going wrong
With this world that we living in
People keep on giving in
Makin wrong decisions
Only visions of them livin and
Not respecting each other
Deny thy brother
The wars' going on but the reasons' undercover
The truth is kept secret
Swept under the rug
If you never know truth
Then you never know love
Where's the love y'all?(I don't know)
Where's the truth y'all?(I don't know)
Where's the love y'all?

People killing people dying
Children hurtin you hear them crying
Can practice what you preach
Would you turn the other cheek?
Father father father help us
Send some guidance from above
Cause people got me got me questioning
Where is the love?(where is the lovex3)(the lovex2)

I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder
As I'm getting older y'all people get colder
Most of us only care about money makin
Selfishness got us followin the wrong direction
Wrong information always shown by the media
Negative images is the main criteria
Infecting their young minds faster than bacteria
Kids wanna act like what the see in the cinema
Whatever happened to the values of humanity
Whatever happened to the fairness and equality
Instead of spreading love, we're spreading anomosity
Lack of understanding, leading us away from unity
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feeling under
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feeling down
It's no wonder why sometimes I'm feeling under
I gotta keep my faith alive, until love is found

People killing people dying
Children hurtin you hear them crying
Can you practice what you preach
Would you turn the other cheek?
Father Father Father help us
Send some guidance from above
Cause people got me got me questioning
Where is the love?(fade)

So with that, I beg of you, please help my children and theirs. Send this video to everyone, have the courage to actually watch it.

http://www.rainews24.rai.it/....

Also it wouldn't hurt if you posted something nice on this blog, it belongs to Garret Reppenhagen and Jeff Englehart, they are the 2 American soldiers that were brave enough to to talk to the Italian media about the war. Their mothers should be proud, they taught their sons the value of human life and decency. They taught them to stand up for the innocents and right now a bunch of right wing warmongers are posting vicious comments on their blog. They are called pussies and traitors for speaking the truth. Please defend them, please lend them your support.

http://ftssoldier.blogspot.com/....

Also Iraq War Veteran David Airhart may be expeled from Kent State for putting a "Kent State 4 peace" sign up. This is a disgrace! How dare they! How dare they threaten to expel him for speaking out on the use of WP and how we are killing innnocents! If you would like to sign a petition in support of David Airhart go here:

http://traprockpeace.org/

Within that link you will also find a link that will let you write a letter of support for David Airhart. I did and I asked why Kent State agreed with melting children, I also sent them the picture from Hunter's diary.

Here are the e-mail addresses of 3 school officials at Kent State, please e-mail them and write a letter in support of David Airhart. He is speaking out on behalf of American troops and Iraqi children, he deserves whatever time you can give him and then some.

[e-mail]
CC: [e-mail]
[e-mail]

The only way to make this stop is to force people to see the faces of sweet children that did nothing wrong but be born to the wrong parents. Those children are no different than my own. They play with their toys, make big messes, throw temper tantrums, and love their mamas and daddies just as much as mine love me.

So please, make flyers, write letters, send a link to the Italian video, call your represenatives (1-202-224-3121), send an e-mail whatever, just do something. Clear your conscience and help to make this stop.

Thank you.

[nolabels]

20. Because the same corporations that own significant defense stocks.........

also own major portions of stock in the networks of corporate media.

They are neighbors that sleep with each others wifes but never talk about it and it's a lot deeper than just being cheap whores

[Dewatson]

23. they also launder money by just buying ads

can you buy anything from Lockheed Martin or Hallibrton?

Hush money, as far as I'm concerned.

[Village Idiot]

16. Gol-darned librul media!

[Union Thug]

18. Whiskey Pete is a chemical weapon..and..

We have Dr. Evil on trial in Iraq in part for his use of chemical weapons on civilian populations.

You just can't expose mer'ca for the hypocritcal, belligerent behemoth that it truly is, now can you? Not while Dr. Evil is on trial!

[MarsThe Cat]

19. why do you hate America?

hey comrade, you sound like the kind of person that would kick good ol' Uncle Sam right square in the nuts if you had the chance.
and after all, what's a little white phosphourous between liberators and the liberated anyway?

[Dewatson]

21. kick

[KansDem]

24. Because we're 44th...

"U.S. Ranks 44th in Worldwide Press Freedom Index"

Nation's openness sinking after Sept. 11, northern Europe tops the list

The annual worldwide press freedom index from Reporters Without Borders shows the United States, which is supposedly spreading freedom and liberty throughout the world, is in a fast decline regarding the freedom of its own press.

The report ranked the United States in 44th place, an atomic drop from a favorable position of 22nd held last year, and from a handsome 17th place in 2002. (more)

http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?article_class=3&no=254376&rel_no=1

The list:

The ranking

N°
Country
Note

1
Denmark
0,50

-
Finland
0,50

-
Iceland
0,50

-
Ireland
0,50

-
Netherlands
0,50

-
Norway
0,50

-
Switzerland
0,50

8
Slovakia
0,75

9
Czech Republic
1,00

-
Slovenia
1,00

11
Estonia
1,50

12
Hungary
2,00

-
New Zealand
2,00

-
Sweden
2,00

-
Trinidad and Tobago
2,00

16
Austria
2,50

-
Latvia
2,50

18
Belgium
4,00

-
Germany
4,00

-
Greece
4,00

21
Canada
4,50

-
Lithuania
4,50

23
Portugal
4,83

24
United Kingdom
5,17

25
Benin
5,50

-
Cyprus
5,50

-
Namibia
5,50

28
El Salvador
5,75

29
Cape Verde
6,00

30
France
6,25

31
Australia
6,50

-
South Africa
6,50

33
Bosnia and Herzegovina
7,00

34
Jamaica
7,50

-
Mauritius
7,50

-
South Korea
7,50

37
Japan
8,00

-
Mali
8,00

39
Hong-Kong
8,25

40
Spain
8,33

41
Costa Rica
8,50

42
Italy
8,67

43
Macedonia
8,75

44
United States of America (American territory)
9,50

45
Bolivia
9,67

46
Uruguay
9,75

47
Israel
10,00

48
Bulgaria
10,25

49
Mozambique
10,50

50
Chile
11,75

51
Dominican Republic
12,25

-
Taiwan
12,25

53
Cyprus (North)
12,50

-
Mongolia
12,50

-
Poland
12,50

56
Croatia
12,83

57
Niger
13,00

58
Timor-Leste
13,50

59
Argentina
13,67

60
Botswana
14,00

-
Fiji
14,00

62
Albania
14,17

63
Brazil
14,50

-
Tonga
14,50

65
Serbia and Montenegro
14,83

66
Ghana
15,00

-
Panama
15,00

68
Nicaragua
15,25

69
Paraguay
15,50

70
Romania
16,17

71
Congo
17,00

-
Guinea-Bissau
17,00

-
Seychelles
17,00

74
Moldova
17,50

-
Tanzania
17,50

76
Angola
18,00

-
Honduras
18,00

78
Burkina Faso
19,00

-
Senegal
19,00

80
Uganda
19,25

81
Lesotho
19,50

82
Central African Republic
19,75

83
Cameroon
20,50

-
Liberia
20,50

85
Kuwait
21,25

86
Guatemala
21,50

87
Ecuador
21,75

88
Comoros
22,00

89
Malawi
22,75

90
Burundi
23,00

-
Cambodia
23,00

-
Qatar
23,00

-
Venezuela
23,00

-
Zambia
23,00

95
Togo
23,75

96
Jordan
24,00

97
Madagascar
24,50

98
Turkey
25,00

99
Georgia
25,17

100
Kosovo
25,75

-
United Arab Emirates
25,75

102
Armenia
26,00

-
Gabon
26,00

-
Guinea
26,00

-
Indonesia
26,00

106
India
27,00

107
Thailand
28,00

108
Lebanon
28,25

109
Chad
30,00

-
Kenya
30,00

111
Kyrgyzstan
32,00

112
Ukraine
32,50

113
Malaysia
33,00

-
Tajikistan
33,00

115
Sri Lanka
33,25

116
Peru
33,33

117
Haiti
33,50

118
Swaziland
35,00

119
Kazakhstan
36,17

-
Morocco
36,17

121
Djibouti
37,00

122
Rwanda
38,00

123
Bahrein
38,75

-
Nigeria
38,75

125
Afghanistan
39,17

126
Sierra Leone
39,50

127
Mauritania
40,00

128
Colombia
40,17

129
Algeria
40,33

130
Gambia
41,00

131
Ethiopia
42,00

132
Palestinian Authority
42,50

133
Equatorial Guinea
44,00

-
Sudan
44,00

135
Mexico
45,50

136
Yemen
46,25

137
United States of America (in Iraq)
48,50

138
Russia
48,67

139
Philippines
50,00

140
Singapore
50,67

141
Azerbaijan
51,00

142
Bhutan
51,50

143
Egypt
52,00

144
Côte d’Ivoire
52,25

145
Syria
55,00

146
Democratic Republic of Congo
57,33

147
Tunisia
57,50

148
Maldives
58,50

149
Somalia
59,00

150
Pakistan
60,75

151
Bangladesh
61,25

152
Belarus
61,33

153
Zimbabwe
64,25

154
Saudi Arabia
66,00

155
Laos
66,50

-
Uzbekistan
66,50

157
Iraq
67,00

158
Vietnam
73,25

159
China
83,00

160
Nepal
86,75

161
Cuba
87,00

162
Libya
88,75

163
Burma
88,83

164
Iran
89,17

165
Turkmenistan
93,50

166
Eritrea
99,75

167
North Korea
109,00

OK, now! Repeat after me! "We're No. 44!...we're no. 44!...c'mon, I cant hear you...!!!

[mmonk]

25. Is this a trick question?

This isn't Canada 'ya know.

[patcox2]

29. Because its not a "chemical weapon."

And because the use of WP is not illegal under international law or the Geneva conventions.

Its no more a chemical weapon than a high explosive round is. Both are filled with chemicals that burn. The WP burns a little slower, the HE burns a bit faster. Both are chemicals. Both kill with fire.

WP is not mustard or chlorine or nerve gas, the effort to conflate them is absurd.

[Dewatson]

30. Yeah but purposely killing innocent civilians is against the law

that is what makes this a crime, that and whatever the hell they are dropping is melting children's skin off!

[patcox2]

33. Hey, Fallujah is our Guernica

It was a heinous atrocity.

But the WP is a red herring, it doesn't add or detract. Is "melting skin" somehow worse than "blown to tiny bits?" Trying to compare it to a chemical weapons attack just doesn't fly.

[Dewatson]

34. Blown to bits happens all at once

how long do these people suffer before they finally die?

But you're right, dead=dead

[sabate]

35. Forget Guernica, we have My Lai and Dresden...

...White phosphorus was used at both.

[nadinbrzezinski]

31. the question is not whether the military can use it or not

it is proscribed against very specific targets, and very specific uses. The use of this against civilians is not legal, and if... to use the military terms, it caused unnecessary collateral damage, then we enter into the realm of war atrocity... if it was ordered and done on purpose we enter the realm of war crime.

Remember the Germans at Kaytin did not use WP, they used simple bullets.

Our troops at Mai Lai did not use WP, they used bullets.

[Union Thug]

38. It's more like napalm than a "high explosive"

And should be treated as such.

[MrSlayer]

32. Probably because no one cares.

That's the ugly truth. Even a lot of those who are against the war aren't against it because of the people we are killing or the methods used but because our kids are dying for the lies. And if you expect outrage from those who do support the war over this you'll be waiting a long time for it.

[Beelzebud]

37. Probably because the same companies that make it, own the TV networks.

[wiggs]

39. Have to say

this nearly same story about WP and napalm was out a couple of months ago on Yahoo and on DU. Sank like a stone in both places.

I think there are simply so many outrages that the public wearies of one when another comes along.