The New Napalm in Iraq

First it was weapons of mass destruction. Then it was to get rid
of Saddam Hussein. Now it’s to spread democracy. All arguments
supporting the war in Iraq have some sort of humanitarian slant
that, ironically, neglects the human cost of the war.

The Independent recently reported($$) that, unknown to British officials, the
United States has used Mark-77 (MK77) firebombs, a flaming
napalm-like gel that sticks to its victims, in Iraq. The Iraq
Analysis Group, which researches the effects of the war on Iraqis,
told The Independent that the US ‘apparently lied to UK
officials’ about its use of ‘internationally reviled weapons that
the UK refuses to use.’

Although the British acknowledgment of American use of MK77 has
caused a stir in Parliament, the issue is not new. As pointed out
by
Information
Clearing House, last fall another UK newspaper, the
Mirror, reported American use of firebombs in Fallujah,
saying, ‘Since the American assault on Fallujah there have been
reports of ‘melted’ corpses, which appeared to have napalm
injuries.’

On its website, the

US State Department denies reports that napalm-like weapons
were used in Fallujah, but confirms that ‘Mark-77 firebombs …
were used against enemy positions in 2003,’ and maintains that it
has not used any illegal weapons in Iraq.

The Independent says the US has sidestepped the UN
Convention on Certain Chemical Weapons, which banned the use of
incendiary weapons against civilians, by claiming the firebombs
were used only against military targets. Then again, the US didn’t
really have to get around it, as it’s not a party to the convention
anyway.

Go there >>

US Lied to Britain Over Use of Napalm in Iraq War($$)

Go there too >>
Incinerating
Iraqis; the Napalm Cover Up

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