Army Called White Phosphorus a "Chemical Weapon"

Now comes the revelation that the Pentagon--contrary to ALL its previous statements--ITSELF called white phosphorus a "chemical weapon," after it was used by Saddam Hussein against Kurdish villagers.

Obviously, such a position is either blatant hypocrisy or simple addledness. Or is it rather more case of "if they use it, it's a chemical weapon, but if we use it, it's 'an incendiary device'?"

Recent news reports in the US Press have followed the lead of much smaller media outlets, although the British press has given the story greater recognition.

Today the NY Times covered the story. Its report, however, was flawed and amounts to something of a whitewash since it merely calls the Pentagon's efforts at dealing with this story a type of "PF failure."

This is not "PR." This story is about burning men, women, and children alive with chemicals.

One of the inconsistencies in the Pentagon's PR campaign has been the contention that white phosphorus is not a "chemical weapon." However, we now learn that the Pentagon itself classfified this weapon as a "chemical weapon" in the 1990s. I quote from a recently declassified Pentagon document. Here's the quote:

IRAQ HAS POSSIBLY EMPLOYED PHOSPHOROUS CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGAINST THE KURDISH POPULATION IN AREAS ALONG THE IRAQI-TURKISH-IRANIAN BORDERS. […]

IN LATE FEBRUARY 1991, FOLLOWING THE COALITION FORCES’ OVERWHELMING VICTORY OVER IRAQ, KURDISH REBELS STEPPED UP THEIR STRUGGLE AGAINST IRAQI FORCES IN NORTHERN IRAQ. DURING THE BRUTAL CRACKDOWN THAT FOLLOWED THE KURDISH UPRISING, IRAQI FORCES LOYAL TO PRESIDENT SADDAM ((HUSSEIN)) MAY HAVE POSSIBLY USED WHITE PHOSPHOROUS (WP) CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGAINST KURDISH REBELS AND THE POPULACE IN ERBIL (GEOCOORD:3412N/04401E) (VICINITY OF IRANIAN BORDER) AND DOHUK (GEOCOORD:3652N/04301E) (VICINITY OF IRAQI BORDER) PROVINCES, IRAQ.

I believe that the flip-flopping and inconsistency between the Pentagon's statements, as well as the gravity of the accusations, require some form of congressional inquiry.

The Iraqi government is already investigating this incident and British politicans have said the UN should look start asking some questions--now I think our own leaders need to look at it.

Read more: Declassified Pentagon Document Describes White Phosphorus As ‘Chemical Weapon’