MSNBC discussing White Phosphorus and Italian Report right now....

[WiseButAngrySara]

edited to add link. Sorry was called away from the computer for a while.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8657402/

Tony Maciulis's blog on the Battle of Fallujah...

<snip>

But two reports from the Italian media today are calling into question what weapons and means were used in that battle, and they are spreading rapidly across the Web, including to the Arabic daily Al Jazeera.
First, the Italian newspaper "La Repubblica" is reporting that U.S. troops used white phosphorous on civilians. The Pentagon admits that the substance has been used for the purpose of illuminating target areas, but not on civilians.
Next, an Italian television station aired a documentary today claiming that a new form of napalm was also used in that siege. That documentary is also available online at RAI's website and on several left leaning blogs, but it contains some disturbing footage.
Bloggers have watched and read the reports and have some strong statements today.
The blogger at "The Next Left" says that like the pro-torture lobby, this accusation further undermines America's credibility in this war.
A similar point is coming from "TPM Cafe." This blogger says that the story will cause an even greater shock to the world than the allegations of torture at Abu Ghraib did.
But at "Environmental Republican," this blogger isn't buying the claims. He says the U.S. has not violated any laws. White phosphorous is not a banned substance, and the U.S. uses it in a legal manner.
Before this story gets any bigger on the blogs I wanted to ask an expert to help me understand it better, and truth squad it a bit. I spoke to retired Army Colonel Jack Jacobs and he shed some light on the story, separating fact from fiction.
First, the documentary by Italian state television claims that Mark77 was used, and calls this chemical a "new and improved form of napalm."
Jack tells me that this is not a new form of napalm and is essentially the same stuff that was used in Vietnam. He also says that by law the U.S. military is not permitted to target civilians with the chemical, nor would they be allowed to do so with white phosphorous.
The chemicals are used for the purpose of illuminating targets and not intended nor permitted to be used on civilians. That said, rounds do go astray. I will talk to Jack today about the matter. It has the potential to be a big story.

[stop the bleeding]

1. Cheese for the cube rats please

this story is big and I would like the details please

[WiseButAngrySara]

11. Please see post #9 and updated/edited original post....n/t

[jsamuel]

2. for the love of God let them tell the truth for once...

:pray:


What the heck are they saying?!!!

[alcibiades_mystery]

3. Willy Peter

Make you a believer...

[peacetalksforall]

4. So are you tv watchers gong to talk among yourselves?

[stop the bleeding]

5. No doubt - see my first post. n/t

[jsamuel]

6. ... WiseButAngrySara ... wtf?

OMG OMG OMG, then crickets...

[WiseButAngrySara]

9. So sorry! I was called away from the computer, and have edited my

initial post with links.

[leftchick]

7. Do tell!

please???

[kansasblue]

8. BBC report here (link)

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

[stop the bleeding]

10. Thanks and a side note - I find it interesting that MSNBC was

sourcing so many blogs, guess Rolling Stone was right in the fact the blogs/internets is where all of the raw news comes from and places like the NYT's are dinosaurs

[WiseButAngrySara]

12. Interesting observation...NYT's has been aided in their extinction by

faux reporters like Judith Miller, as well as by blogs/internet, IMO.

[Norquist Nemesis]

13. Question: If they're used to illuminate "targets"

and not civilians and it's dark, how can they tell the difference between a "target" and a civilian?

[WiseButAngrySara]

15. They illuminated and disintegrated human beings! The 'legal' 'moral'

use of white phosphorus is for illumination purposes, I believe. From what I've read, this use of W.P. was neither legal nor moral.

If they were working in the dark, their illumination became living/dying human souls.

[underpants]

14. Oh God is that why "WP" was on the Scotty Bingo cards????

I didn't know why willy Pete was on them.

This is about Fallujah isn't it? Oh God.

[WiseButAngrySara]

16. W.P. =white phosphorus =willy pete =white (house) press =white (house)

prostitutes...who knows?