White Phosphorus Now and Then

The media are finally reporting on the US military's use of white phosphorus (WP) in the siege of Fallujah. Apparently US intelligence had classified WP as a chemical weapon, even though the US military insists the WP is in fact a coventional weapon.

When Saddam used WP it was a chemical weapon," said Mr Ranucci, "but when the Americans use it, it's a conventional weapon. The injuries it inflicts, however, are just as terrible however you describe it."

In the television documentary, eyewitnesses inside Fallujah during the bombardment in November last year described the terror and agony suffered by victims of the shells . Two former American soldiers who fought at Fallujah told how they had been ordered to prepare for the use of the weapons. The film and still photographs posted on the website of the channel that made the film - rainews24.it - show the strange corpses found after the city's destruction, many with their skin apparently melted or caramelised so their features were indistinguishable. Mr Ranucci said he had seen photographs of "more than 100" of what he described as "anomalous corpses" in the city.

The US State Department and the Pentagon have shifted their position repeatedly in the aftermath of the film's showing. After initially saying that US forces do not use white phosphorus as a weapon, the Pentagon now says that WP had been used against insurgents in Fallujah. The use of WP against civilians as a weapon is prohibited.

The stories from Fallujah sounded very familiar to me.  The novelist Gert Ledig survived the firebombing of Munich; from that terrible experience he wrote his war masterpiece Vergeltung.  Here is an excerpt from the novel's opening scene:

        In der Luft dröhnten plötzlich Motoren. Ein Pfleilregen von Magnesiumstäben bohrte sich zischend in den Asphalt.  In der nächsten Sekunde platzten sie auseinander.  Wo eben noch Asphalt war, prasselten Flammen. Der Handwagen wurde von der Luftwelle umgeworgen.  Die Deichsel flog in den Himmel, aus einer Decke entrollte sich ein Kind.  Die Mutter an der Mauer schrie nicht.  Sie hatte keine Zeit dazu.  Hier war kein Spielplatz für Kinder. 

Neben der Mutter stand eine Frau und brannte wie eine Fackel.  Sie schrie.  Die Mutter blickte sie hilflos an, dann brannte sie selbst.  Von den Beinen herauf über die Unterschenkel bis zum Leib.  Das spürte sie noch, dan schrumpfte sie zusammen.  Eine Explosionswelle barst an der Freiedhofsmauer entlang, und in diesem Augenblichk brannte auch die Straβe.  Der Asphalt, die Steine , Die Luft. 

So the military is taking a page out of its World War II firebombing tactics.  The "strange corpses" in Fallujah can be described best by a German word that originated in the flames of Munich and Hamburg: Bombenbrandschrumpfleichen.

Comments

[erphschwester]

man fuege noch darmstadt und dresden hinzu ...