Small town's controversial role in War on Gaza - 26 Mar 09

Al Jazeera has tracked down the origin of the white phosphorus used by Israel in the war on Gaza.

It comes from an army arsenal in a small US town called Pine Bluff, Arkansas, home to 50,000 people.

Mike Kirsch travelled to Pine Bluff to discover what its residents and leaders thought of their town's role in the war on Gaza.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• aljazeera
• mike
• kirsch
• pine
• bluff
• white
• phosphorus
• israel
• gaza

[uru86]

The people in Pine Bluff are not to blame for the use of white phosphorous in Gaza, they are doing their job no matter how unethical it may be. The real people who should be held accountable are those in the corporate HQ who profit from the manufacture and sale of the weapon, and Israel who uses it in such a indiscriminate way. Although, I certainly think it is important to expose to the population of Pine Bluff and the US in general what their "aid" goes to.

[danmanjones]

They used it during the day time and had smoke shells if they wanted it for a smokescreen.

That argument is weak.

[jsprink30]

actually nanarocxie or w/e the arsenals in white hall..which is about as far away from redfield as it is pine bluff..oh and i live literally right down the street form the arsenal too :))))

[yofic]

Brumbar,

I understand how tempting it is to make up facts to fit your arguments, but I urge you to stop giving in to that temptation!

Israel didn't use WP against civilians, and if you claim it did, you'd better have proof to back that up. Even HRW, whose biases are obvious to anyone with half a brain, admitted Israel was using WP for its illuminating and smoke-creating effects.

How does HRW's status as an independent organization prove its honesty & impartiality? What about al-dura?

[yofic]

Brumbar:

Read the discussion. No one said it was legal to use WP against civilians. It IS legal to use WP in civilian areas.

Don't bring me pathetic accusations from Human Rights Watch. HRW also called Muhammad al-Dura's "death" a case of indiscriminate and illegal use of force." Accounts of the "death" have since been proven to be a hoax. (Put "al-dura" in youtube's search box, see for yourself) HRW has long lost its credibility.

[bigveasy]

I guess people focus on what they want to focus on, and believe what they want to believe.

"You need not respond." - Yofic.

[yofic]

Nope. I'm pretty sure the question was:

"Show me one legal source ... that prohibits WP in civilian areas." So the question was about prohibitions, not regulations, and WP generally, not WP weapons - words that have colossal legal implications. As for air-bursts - once again, legal if used in certain ways.

Let's do that logic thing again - How does focusing on false accusations against Israel (the purpose of this forum) imply that I don't care about war crimes around the world?

[bigveasy]

Don't be a dick. I answered a question that you asked.

If you only care about war crimes in 1 place - although I can't see why you would - there are videos on this very site of israel using airburst WP rounds. You're blinkering yourself and trying to change your argument ad hoc to keep on the right side of the facts as they become apparent to you.

[nanarocxie]

fuck this i live in pine bluff and the arsenal isnt really in pine bluff its in redfield

[yofic]

The conversation Entaruadunexecutor & I were having before you broke in was regarding WP generally, not WP weapons.

It may well be that WP weapons are being used in civilian areas in parts of the world; but this is not the conversation we were having. We were discussing whether WP has legal uses in civilian areas. If it did (and it does), that would mean that all these accusations against the IDF are baseless, malicious slander.

You need not respond.

[bigveasy]

Indeed, WP flares used for the purpose of illumination are not weapons. The words 'munition' and 'weapon' are not freely interchangeable. Having read the article I referred to before, you will appreciate the matter in question does not concern the deployment of WP munitions, but specifically WP weapons.....in civilian areas...

For some time now I've simply been restating fact and rehashing my words in a bid to force your acceptance of the obvious. Unless there's something else, let's call quits

[yofic]

WP can be used in a variety of ways. The manner in which it is used determines its effect. When used to create a smokescreen, WP will cause some damage (as all weapons do), but nowhere near the amount caused when it is used as a weapon. Therefore, WP is not considered an incendiary weapon unless it is specifically used as such.