"Asked if it was used as an offensive weapon during the siege of Falluja, he [Colonel Venable, US Forces] replied: "Yes, it was used as an incendiary weapon against enemy combatants. When you have enemy forces that are in covered positions that your high explosive artillery rounds are not having an impact on, and you wish to get them out of those positions, one technique is to fire a white phosphorus round into the position: the combined effects of the fire and smoke - and in some case the terror brought about by the explosion on the ground - will drive them out of the holes so you can kill them with high explosives."(...)A reporter with California's North County Times, embedded with the marines during the offensive, also reported soldiers firing into buildings a mixture of white phosphorous and high explosives known as "shake'n'bake". White phosphorous burns spontaneously on contact with air, producing phosphorus pentoxide smoke. According to the standard US industrial safety sheet, the smoke "releases heat on contact with moisture, and will burn mucous surfaces. Contact ... can cause severe eye burns and permanent damage.""
mercredi, novembre 16, 2005
Lots More American Democracy
Shake'n'Bake From the Guardian Unlimited.
Inscription à :
Publier les commentaires (Atom)
6 commentaires:
It pains me to say this but I was wondering when The Guardian was going to wake up to this story. I love The Guardian dearly but it does sometimes remind me of ... yeah, well maybe I shouldn't finish that sentence.
Btw your blog is looking good :) I like the new template but you would have to publish all, rather than just the index for the template to take effect on earlier posts :) I know because I've just been looking up all your posts on Fallujah to write up a new piece on your little campaign.
I think the masthead needs improving. "J'Accuse" should not be writting in standard form byt calligraphic. Or so methinks.
i'd love to be able to come up with something like this guy here: http://whatdoiknow.org/
I had written to the designer of that blog but it would seem that that design is not for sale.
On the other hand I am finding the Verdana/Trebuchet combination relaxing. All the curls and twists of the Georgia, Times family can become tiring.
Thanks for compliments sharon. One thing. I do not feel that I am campaigning for anything. It is more of a SHOUT in postform terms. The closest thing to camapaigning is the spreading of information to others who assume American intervention is all pin-point technology and harms only the nasty people.
Another thing. The masthead might develop a larger version of the megaphone that currently sits on the headings of posts. Still not sure about that one.
I somehow liked the previous look of J'Accuse with that gazibo in the background and its more, how shall I put it, forceful presence. It captured the writer's in-your-face attitude after all. Why must everyone adopt the 90s minimalist look?
So have you made up you mind whether White Phosphorous burns on contact with moisture or on contact with oxygen as you are saying now?
This is important in the context of whether that footage is fake. Remember it is being used to substantiate the claim (which you also make) that WP was used on civilians.
So much to respond to, so little time....I just got back from a jaunt to Glasgow and am having dinner in Perth this evening...but sometime in the next few days will attempt to compose a post that deals with all of the issues you've raised.
I think the difference between us is that we approach the fight against terrorism in two different ways that just happen to be diametrically opposed.
Enregistrer un commentaire