US using White Phosphorus in Afghanistan

http://stopwarblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/british-war-crimes-part-1.html

British war crimes 

White phosphorus weapons have achieved some notoriety since January when Israeli aircraft dropped US-made WP munitions on civilian areas of Gaza – a flagrant war crime. You can see a series of photos concerning the use of WP in Gaza on the Human Rights Watch website, which notes that UNRWA facilities came under direct fire from WP weapons. (Palestinian militants also reportedly fired WP munitions into Israel during the three-week massacre.)

Israel isn’t the only US ally to use white phosphorus in the recent past. In its 2007 invasion of Somalia, forces of US proxy Ethiopia used phosphorus weapons in a civilian area, killing 35 civilians. And in the war in Iraq, US forces have used WP and even acknowledged their use as an incendiary weapon in the Battle of Fallujah after evidence to that effect surfaced, contradicting initial US claims.

Concerning the war in Afghanistan, it is known that US aircraft have fired phosphorus rockets in battles against Taliban insurgents (see, for example, this report concerning a 2003 battle in Kandahar province). So too have British aircraft (see this report concerning a 2006 battle in Helmand). However, no doubt owing partly to the controversial legal status of white phosphorus, US and British officials have generally claimed that WP is only used as a smoke screen or for illumination, not as a weapon. (See here for a description of the use of American aircraft-fired WP rockets for this purpose; see here for mention of WP grenades used by British forces for illumination.)

Official claims ring hollow, however, in light of statements from American war resister Chris Teske, who escaped to Canada to avoid the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq:

Teske still struggles to talk about what he says he saw [in Afghanistan]: enemy fighters burned alive by white phosphorus, melting the flesh on their bodies… [The Times (UK), July 28, 2007] … ==

Green Berets, Allies Fight Afghan Taliban 

By KATHY GANNON, 4/2/03 {April 3, 2003}

http://www.afghanistannewscenter.com/news/2003/april/apr32003.html

The U.S. military in Bagram, north of the Afghan capital of Kabul, said in a statement that U.S. servicemen “observing” the operation called in air support. “Special Forces called for close air support,” the military said. In the first assault, two A-10 fighter jets fired seven white phosphorous rockets and 520 30 mm rounds. Two Apache helicopters followed, firing 130 30 mm rounds and 67 other rockets, it said. ==

http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/6584/35/

 GOODBYE UNCLE SAM

By Catherine Philp

** What does it feel like to turn your back on your country? As increasing numbers of U.S. military personnel head for Canada to escape service in Iraq and Afghanistan, three deserters explain what drove them to such drastic action **

Times (London) Online

July 28, 2007

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article2110978.ece 

Teske flew out to Afghanistan, where the first enemies he encountered were prisoners brought in trucks to their base at Bagram. “Our sergeant said these are the people responsible for September 11. I expected demons and devils to come off that truck.” But none of the “enemy” was even of fighting age. Teske’s sergeant handed him an axe handle and told him to use it on the prisoners if he caught them talking. “Don’t kill them,” the sergeant told him, “just hit them upside the head.” Teske refused. “It was disgusting. I was horrified. I’d come here to engage the enemy, not beat up young kids and old men.”

Later, Teske saw the heaviest combat of the conflict thus far in Operation Anaconda, for which he was decorated. Returning in 2003 for a second tour, he was sent to Firebase Shkin on the Pakistan border, famed as the most dangerous place in Afghanistan. Teske still struggles to talk about what he says he saw there: enemy fighters burned alive by white phosphorus, melting the flesh on their bodies (the U.S. military has been forced to admit using white phosphorus, but denies it has ever been used against civilians). Troubled, he sought out a military chaplain. “God raised up an army,” the pastor told him. “They are not real people. God wants you to kill them.”