White Phosphorous 101

in #warcrimes7 years ago (edited)

We often hear the western media speak with horror and disgust with the use of chemical weapons yet we almost never hear condemnation of another truly horrific weapon - White Phosphorous


White Phosphorous is regularly used on the battle field by US and their allies but it is banned by international conventions for when used as an offensive weapon. So why is this compound permitted in warfare?

First of all, White Phosphorous is not categorized as a chemical weapon, instead it is classified as an Incendiary weapon. The main reason that White Phosphorous continues to be used in conflict is because it's a multi-purpose munition which allows it to exist in a legal grey-zone.

The military use the highly flammable substance 'primarily' for illumination and smokescreen purposes. However, the US, Israeli and Russian militaries have all been known to use White Phosphorous but they're certainly not the only ones.

White Phosphorous, once ignited, is extremely difficult to put out. It is known for inflicting severe burns and to cause ghastly injuries when coming in to contact with human flesh.


Previous @v4vapid Post:

Is White Phosphorous a Chemical Weapon?

White Phosphorous Facts

  • Wax, yellow, transparent substance (non-metal)
  • High toxicity
  • Very reactive substance (doesn't react with water)
  • Reacts with atmospheric oxygen
  • Chemiluminescence: In gas phase it glows in the dark
  • Pyrophoric: Self-ignites in air
  • Burns with high brightness and hot flame, produces a lot of smoke

Controlled Experiment with White Phosphorous


Coalition Forces Using White Phosphorous in Iraq


If the msm considers themselves to be true journalists, and not simply government stenographers, they should be asking the US government and military why this weapon is being used in Iraq and Syria when they condemn chemical gas attacks as war crimes and crimes against humanity.


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Thanks for this report. What woke me up about this hideous weapon was a video of a child in a hospital who had vapors - steam coming from their mouth as they were being cooked from the inside. The child had breathed in White Phosphorous. So sad.
Followed, resteemed, tweeted.

Israel is a big White Phosphorous user too.

True, Israel and also Russian...I'm sure the British put it to use. It's a disgusting weapon.

I like the name "White Phosphorus", but only the name. :/ Biochemical attacks are Horrible.

You like the name? I guess it feels kinda pleasant to say...but that's perhaps the only pleasant thing about it.

It's nasty stuff. Shame on any military that uses it in populated areas. Or at all.

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There is no nice way to KILL People. Weapons need to kill quickly, efficiently and be cost effective.

White Phosphorous is very useful in a lot of scenarios, especially if your target is inside a building, as you can toss in a grenade, burn everyone and everything inside the building and not worry about getting hurt yourself from blast damage like with a conventional grenade.

It is unfortunate that people seek to limit effective weapons like White Phosphorous, Napalm, Thermobaric Bombs, Air-Fuel Explosives, Land Mines, expanding and exploding bullets and Flame Throwers, etc.

In my experience, people who call for weapons bans, really just want to ban war and killing. This is nice sentiment, as war is both inhumane and immoral. However, as Plato famously said, "Only the dead have seen the end of war".

The simple fact is, "A lot of people just need Killing".

If the state asks its citizens to go to war and risk their lives for the body politic, then they should be equipped with the most deadly , destructive and effective weapons available today. Anything short of that is in itself immoral.

I would have much preferred that the United States after 9/11 simply turn Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan into large "Glass Factories" using nuclear weapons. Not only would this have been cheaper and more effective than the limited wars that were conducted, many American and Allied lives would have been spared. It was immoral to ask these folks to die or be horribly wounded, when we have the means to simply destroy these countries and their populations in short order.

All wars are world banker wars and we should not pay for them. After paying taxes for 35 years to the warmongering USA i stopped paying the illegal IRS. I do not pay for bombs, illegal wars, subsidies for the likes of Monsanto, Dc pedophile rings just to name a few atrocities our tax dollars pay for.
Our best weapon against these war mongering world banker creeps is our pocket book. I boycott most NYSE co's. Starve the beast. United we stand.

Well said...Guess who makes White Phosphorous? - Monsanto - who also made agent orange

Monsanto , a WW2 weapons company now wants to control our food supply. What could possibly go wrong. Glyphosate-roundup = agent orange on our food. Pure insanity. We all need to boycott as many NYSE co's as possible. Our best weapon against this insanity is our wallets. United we stand. starve the beast.
Peace .

Agreed. However, real change requires, real violence.

The Government and the bankers could stop collecting taxes tomorrow and just print more money. The reason they won't is taxation is a form of control.

Withhold your money all you want, they will just print more.

In Robert Heinlein's novel Starship Troopers, their world was created when the Veterans rose up and took political power for themselves.

Something to think about.

I agree they will just print more money. But we do not have to buy from their co's on the NYSE. It is not easy but i feel that is our best weapon now.

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