Talk:US use of white phosphorus in Iraq may constitute a war crime

This is a big thing. Please all, develop this article.International 02:23, 17 November 2005 (UTC)

Can someone help with copyedit. English is not my native language :) International 04:03, 17 November 2005 (UTC)

Do war crimes fall under category:human rights? Bawolff ☺☻ 03:57, 18 November 2005 (UTC)

It would seem that the "toxic chemical" definition from the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention was intended to cover poisons, corrosives, and things with similar effects (like radioactive dust), and was specifically written not to include incendiaries or explosives and other (morbidly) "traditional" materiel of warfare. WP (the military calls it "Willy Pete" not "Sneaky Pete" to my knowledge) is unambiguously an incendiary, not a poison or a corrosive as it reacts with the oxygen in the air to burn your flesh as a secondary effect before it can react with the oxygen in your flesh and burn it directly. It may be a semantic argument for permitting WP, but it seems clear to me that weapons like it were intentionally excluded from this particular definition. Maybe another part of the Convention applies to bar WP.

If it didn't burn so quickly, this would apply:

150 mg of white phosphorus can cause acute pain, convulsions and, possibly, death. When the fumes of white phosphorus are continuously breathed in, Figure 10, they cause necrosis of the nasal and jawbones (maxilla and mandible). In very small doses, phosphorus stimulates the nervous system. In terms of the physical properties of P, it is available as white or red P. When white P reacts with light, it forms "yellow P"; "yellow" P is white P with a light coating of red P on its surface.

Unpublished

Unpublished the article as it's not quite ready. Sinblox 05:41, 17 November 2005 (UTC)

Title

I changed the title since the previous one was misspelt and kind of clumsy. If anyone is dissatisfied with the current one, feel free to change it to something better. - Apollyon 11:23, 17 November 2005 (UTC)

CBS?

CBC 2005 "U.S. official admits phosphorus used as weapon in Iraq". CBS

Does CBC have anyting to do with CBS? --JWSchmidt 13:28, 17 November 2005 (UTC)

Wouldn't think so, since CBC is Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. - Apollyon 14:56, 17 November 2005 (UTC)

Sorry, fixed.International 15:23, 17 November 2005 (UTC)

Source

A source would be good to "The United States reportedly ordered civilians to evacuate areas wherein white phosphorus was going to be used." Btw thank you 4.79.137.23 and all for contributions.International 17:09, 17 November 2005 (UTC)

Anyone have any picture ideas

the only thing I can think of is:

• w:Image:USSAlabama WP bomb.jpg
• Image:Iraq map fallujah.png

Does anyone have a beter idea? Bawolff ☺☻ 01:12, 18 November 2005 (UTC)

I'd stay away from the USSAlabama pic, as well - it has nothing to do with ships (well, very little at the most). --Mrmiscellanious 01:16, 18 November 2005 (UTC)

I'd recommend (permission permitting):

• WP disposal explosions from http://www.coralstrand.karoo.net/contents/f_gallery.htm
• a WP smokescreen gone awry at http://www.theage.com.au/news/Arts/Win-for-photography-under-fire/2005/05/05/1115092613346.html
• charred corpse from http://www.uruknet.info/uruknet-images/ach3.jpeg