speedracer
Banned
White phosphorous is stuff that burns at amazingly high temps. It's damn fantastic for use as an illumination at night and for smoke screens for troop movements. I was in shock the first time I saw it used in combat simulation in the military during night exercises. A couple of those suckers would light up the battlefield and you could see WELL past M16 firing range. It was like fighting in daylight you could see so well.
Anyways, it also has some extremely nasty side effects as you can imagine. The dust created by it is about as god awful toxic as possible. It has an agent orange-y property in that if you get it on you, it's gonna burn right through you. Water and fire extinguishers can't put it out, you gotta use sand (!?!).
We got all salty when it was found that Afghan insurgents were using it against American soldiers and for good reason. It should be a war crime to use in civilian areas at all and realistically should be illegal to be used for anything other than smoke and illumination. It's just too awful.
It turns out both the Israelis and Hamas used it against each other in that little tiff they got into last year. Israel swore up and down they didn't use it in the way described, but it's pretty damn easy to check because the munition leaves such a readily identifiable signature.
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So finally, a year later, they admit they used it. They "accidentally" hit a UN compound with the stuff (among other places). The two Israeli generals that authorized its use in civilian populations are now the generals in charge of Gaza and the West Bank respectively. Good idea Israel.
Just as a side note, the US has admitted to using it multiple times in Iraq. It's absurd to get all high and mighty about it being used on us and then regularly using it against others. It's time to shelve the white phosphorous for offensive military use.
Wikipedia has some graphic pictures of use for those inclined and Google image search shows some extra tasty crispified victims. Seriously, we need to stop it.
Anyways, it also has some extremely nasty side effects as you can imagine. The dust created by it is about as god awful toxic as possible. It has an agent orange-y property in that if you get it on you, it's gonna burn right through you. Water and fire extinguishers can't put it out, you gotta use sand (!?!).
We got all salty when it was found that Afghan insurgents were using it against American soldiers and for good reason. It should be a war crime to use in civilian areas at all and realistically should be illegal to be used for anything other than smoke and illumination. It's just too awful.
It turns out both the Israelis and Hamas used it against each other in that little tiff they got into last year. Israel swore up and down they didn't use it in the way described, but it's pretty damn easy to check because the munition leaves such a readily identifiable signature.
-
So finally, a year later, they admit they used it. They "accidentally" hit a UN compound with the stuff (among other places). The two Israeli generals that authorized its use in civilian populations are now the generals in charge of Gaza and the West Bank respectively. Good idea Israel.
So using white phosphorous on a civilian population doesn't warrant criminal investigation.
I'd rather have my credit card stolen. How bout you?
Just as a side note, the US has admitted to using it multiple times in Iraq. It's absurd to get all high and mighty about it being used on us and then regularly using it against others. It's time to shelve the white phosphorous for offensive military use.
Wikipedia has some graphic pictures of use for those inclined and Google image search shows some extra tasty crispified victims. Seriously, we need to stop it.
