Report Alleges U.S. Used White Phosphorus On Iraqis
November 8, 2005 1:59 p.m. EST
Yvonne Lee - All Headline News Staff Reporter
Rome, Italy (AHN) – Italian state-run broadcaster RAI has released a documentary alleging U.S. forces in Iraq used incendiary white phosphorus against civilians and a firebomb similar to napalm against military targets.
RAI reports Tuesday the film shows images of bodies recovered after a November 2004 offensive by U.S. troops on the town of Falluja, which it says proves the use of white phosphorus against men, women, and children who were burned to the bone.
Jeff Englehart in the RAI documentary, which identifies him as a former soldier in the U.S. 1st Infantry Division in Iraq says, "I do know that white phosphorus was use."
The U.S. military says white phosphorus is a conventional weapon and says it does not use any chemical arms.
Englehart, who RAI says had taken part in the Falluja offensive says, "Burned bodies. Burned children and burned women. White phosphorus kills indiscriminately."
A U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad says he did not recall white phosphorus being used in Falluja.
White phosphorus is an incendiary device used by the military to conceal troop movements with smoke, mark targets, or light up combat areas. The use of incendiary weapons against civilians has been banned by the Geneva Convention since 1980.
A United Nations official says the United States did not sign the relevant protocol to the convention.
In the documentary called "Falluja: The Hidden Massacre", RAI also says U.S. forces used the Mark 77 firebomb, a weapon similar to napalm, on military targets in Iraq in 2003.
It cites a letter it says came from British Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram, claiming 30 MK 77 weapons were used on military targets in Iraq between March 31 and April 2, 2003. |
