Denial

Yesterday, The Bulldog Manifesto posted a link to a video produced by Italian channel RAI 24 that documents the use of white phosporus and napalm on Iraqi civilians in Fallujah last year.

Today, Reuters reports that the U.S. military denies (of course) that it used white phosphorous or napalm, but instead they used MK 77 firebombs against "military targets."

Tell that to former U.S. Soldier Jeff Englehart, who was quoted in the report:

"I do know that white phosphorus was used," said Jeff Englehart in the RAI documentary, which identified him as a former soldier in the U.S. 1st Infantry Division in Iraq. "Burned bodies. Burned children and burned women," said Englehart, who RAI said had taken part in the Falluja offensive. "White phosphorus kills indiscriminately."

Aside from the Reuters link, I was able to find this document sourced by Albasrah.net that includes some media links. I haven't had a chance to look through it completely, and I must warn you that it contains some pretty graphic pictures. It's shocking for sure, and I know that with everything there is some bias here. But still. Disturbing.

The use of chemical weapons against U.S. citizens has always been part of Dubya's and Cheney's arsenal to garner support for the war in Iraq. And now there is documentation that suggests that we are doing the same thing? I'm not well-versed this, but this has got to be a violation of Section I of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which addresses protection of civilians during times of war. And then people wonder why Dubya got such a hostile reception in South America?

More of the mainstream media need to report on this. I've already sent the RAI 24 link last night to the NY Times, Media Matters, and SF Chronicle. We need to bring this to the forefront.