US admits it used napalm bombs in Iraq

The Independent on Sunday (U.K.) ^ | 08/10/03 | Andrew Buncombe

[Pokey78]

American pilots dropped the controversial incendiary agent napalm on Iraqi troops during the advance on Baghdad. The attacks caused massive fireballs that obliterated several Iraqi positions.

The Pentagon denied using napalm at the time, but Marine pilots and their commanders have confirmed that they used an upgraded version of the weapon against dug-in positions. They said napalm, which has a distinctive smell, was used because of its psychological effect on an enemy.

[Always Right]

We should have nuked 'The Independant'

[snippy_about_it]

Whatever they want to call it, we used it and good for us.

Does the reporter think we should feel sorry for the enemy?

Like the Marine said, "We told them to surrender".

[Cogadh na Sith]

They said napalm, which has a distinctive smell, was used because of its psychological effect on an enemy.

Furthermore, I've been lead to believe that that smell, that napalm smell--particulary in the morning, smells like victory.

Where is the problem here?

[Threepwood]

How is napalm worse than a bomb full of ordinary explosive? I wasn't aware there was a controversy over its use.

[colorado tanker]

Makes sense to me to use this on positions located on bridge approaches. You wouldn't want to use HE and accidently damage a bridge you want to take intact.

There is no treaty prohibiting this weapon that the U.S. is a party to. War is hell and there are few pleasant ways of dying in combat.

These hypocrites want to pin an unjust "war crimes" label on the U.S. while ignoring Iraq's refusal to adhere to the Geneva Convention.

[Gorzaloon]

Where is the problem here?

Our enemies get unlimited free Press Time.

[Hazzardgate]

"Someday this war's gonna end..."

[atomic conspiracy]

Al Independent, home of Robert "hit me again" Fisk, is a nest of fifth columnists, totalitarian propagandists, and murderous hate-America bigots. They would have no objection to this material if it were used by Palestinian suicide-bombers, Hezbollah savages, or Colombian narco-terrorists. Indeed, they would probably praise it, just as they praise Hezbollah's torture and mutilation of Israeli prisoners in one article, while whining and lying about Guantanamo in another.

[PoorMuttly]

As in ancient times...fire still works.

Bullets hurt people too. All part of the motivation to not do bad things. Someone big may get mad at you.

Fire good...jello good...firey jello...must be O.K. too.

I prefer Raspberry...or Lime when I can get it.

[lawdude]

"A 1980 UN convention banned the use against civilian targets of napalm,"

It appears the author is trying to denigrate the US for using napalm in Viet Nam against the ban. but note, the ban didn't play until 1980, log after the end of the VN conflict!

[kayak]

LOL!

[SAMWolf]

I'm Shocked!! I'm outraged! This is a disgrace!!

Why are we using naplam when FAE's are so much better?

Fry 'em!

[Enterprise]

Well, ok. We used napalm. But it was biodegradable and enviornmentally friendly.

[demlosers]

An easy way to produce napalm is to mix Tide the detergent with JP4 (jet fuel) and wallá! Then place the mixture inside the bomb-body of an BLU-27.
Drop on enemy.

We can have napalm anytime we like...Ha!

[SAMWolf]

<===Mash This

[snippy_about_it]

Hey, I don't care as long as it kills the enemy.

[pierrem15]

nest of fifth columnists, totalitarian propagandists, and murderous hate-America bigots

Great line and byline!

[A Navy Vet]

Boo hoo.

[kayak]

"Most of the world understands that napalm and incendiaries are a horrible, horrible weapon," said Robert Musil, director of the organisation Physicians for Social Responsibility. "It takes up an awful lot of medical resources. It creates horrible wounds."

Oh, I see. So putting people through shredders is ok ..... the wounds are horrible but there's no need for wasting medical resources after the procedure. Sure, doc. Whatever you say.

Sheesh!

[snippy_about_it]

hypocrites

Yep!

[SAMWolf]

Naplam - Better Living Through Chemistry.

[Centurion2000]

A 1980 UN convention banned the use against civilian targets of napalm, a terrifying mixture of jet fuel and polystyrene that sticks to skin as it burns.

All of the targets are military ... what are they whining about ?

We play to win.

[Sonny M]

How is napalm worse than a bomb full of ordinary explosive? I wasn't aware there was a controversy over its use.

There's alot of controversey over it. Its some pretty scary stuff. Akin to flaming jello or something. You see guys burning, the wounds and injury's are frightening. You want to win a psy war, use this stuff. I personally condone the use of napalm, its power and effect is awesome.

The fireballs that this stuff produces, and the way it looks, make it something seperate from an ordinary exposive, the iraqi's probably lost bladder control when they say this stuff.

[demlosers]

We still have any of these in the inventory?

If not, we should re-procure them...I like to make the libs crazy.

[RedWhiteBlue]

Good. I'm glad that this is out. It gives adequate notice to those that would harm America. When we say "shock and awe," WE MEAN IT.

[colorado tanker]

Give 'em the hotfoot, boys!

[Dane]

How is napalm worse than a bomb full of ordinary explosive? I wasn't aware there was a controversy over its use.

Oh yes there is. To the lefty democrats and press such as the New York Times, using napalm is 1000 times worse than the "benign" Khmer Rouge Pol Pot regime which slaughtered millions in the late 70's.

Don't you know that napalm was developed by that evil American Imperialist corporation called Dow Chemical.

[risk]

Why are we using naplam when FAE's are so much better?

bttt!

[Threepwood]

I don't know what I think about this. The object *is* (as always)to kill people and clear them off things, so in that respect efficency is always a perk. If Americans had died because of a decision not to use this weapon, their commanders would have been negligent.

On the other hand, Chemical agents would have emptied this bridge even faster, but we didn't do that. Obviously then, there must be a point where efficency in killing intersects with morality. Where that is, and whether napalm is on the wrong side of that point is a decision I'm glad I don't have to make or be accountable for.

[SAMWolf]

I'm not sure if flamethrowers are still being used.

[Threepwood]

I've noticed that. "Napalm" the substance seems to be regarded with a odd brand of reverant horror by a certain kind of leftist. I guess the leading role the old communist bloc countries took in bio-weapon design doesn't have quite the same zing.

[SAMWolf]

It sort of looks like this when naplam is ignighted.

[SAMWolf]

ignighted = ignited

[Dane]

I've noticed that. "Napalm" the substance seems to be regarded with a odd brand of reverant horror by a certain kind of leftist.

Yep, mention that napalm is a good weapon against evil forces at a NYT editorial meeting, and the "verbal napalm" you will get back at you would make Hillary proud, IMO.

To the likes of the NYT and Hillary. America is evil and always will be.

[hayfried]

Robert Musil, director of the organisation Physicians for Social Responsibility

It doesn't matter what hardline, anti-US leftists like Musil say. If it wasn't napalm, he'd be criticizing something else about America.

For him, the real problem is the existence of America itself. Ultimately, Musil's kind can only be satisfied by a broken America full of Mao-suited peasants, toiling on collectivized farms and cringing in fear of a jackbooted UN occupation force.

[SAMWolf]

[Redcloak]

It's not napalm. It's a new eco-friendly mixture. Think of it as "Green Napalm"!

"I love the smell of green napalm in the morning. It smells like... nature."

[snippy_about_it]

That's a good reminder, thanks SAM.

[demlosers]

MK77 750lb Napalm
MK78 500lb Napalm
MK79 1000lb Napalm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A fire bomb is a thin skinned container of fuel gel designed for use against dug-in troops, supply installations, wooden structures, and land convoys. Fire bombs rupture on impact and spread burning fuel gel on surrounding objects. MK 13 Mod 0 igniters are used to ignite the fuel gel mixture upon impact. The Mk-77 is the only fire bomb still in service, replacing the BLU-27.

While the MK-77 is the only incendiary munition currently in active inventory, a variety of other incendiary devices were produced, including the M-47 Napalm bomb, the M-74 incendiary bomb, and white phosphorous and munitions manufacturing. Production of these devices continued during the Korean conflict, though various demilitarization and decontamination programs were initiated in the late 1950s. Munitions destroyed included M-47 Napalm-filled bombs and incendiary cluster bombs.

The containers of napalm bomber are very light and fabricated of aluminum, with a capacity for about 75 gallons of combustible gel. They lack stabilizing fins, and consequently acquire a tumbling motion on being dropped that contributes to the scattering of the combustible gel over a wide area.

Napalm is a mixture of benzene (21%), gasoline (33%), and polystyrene (46%). Benzene is a normal component of gasoline (about 2%). The gasoline used in napalm is the same leaded or unleaded gas that is used in automobiles. Gasoline is a mixture of hydrocarbons, which burn in an engine. It is a clear liquid, made from crude oil that burns and explodes easily. It naturally contains some benzene (which makes gas smell the way it does).

Gasoline is lighter than, and floats on, water, but it will not mix with water. It dissolves grease and oil but will not dissolve polystyrene by itself, more benzene must be added to it. If gasoline is inhaled or swallowed, it can be dangerous or fatal. Breathing it results in an intense burning sensation in the throat and lungs, resulting in bronchitis and, eventually, pneumonia and possibly death. Swallowing gasoline results in inebriation (drunkenness), vomiting, dizziness, fever, drowsiness, confusion, and cyanosis (blue color)... excerpt from globalsecurity.org: Incendiary

[Diogenesis]

Buncombe makes it seem like a bad thing.

[Yasotay]

I like the M202 "Flash" myself .... a grunt's FPF of fire...

I also always liked the cadence:

Napalm sticks to all the children.... All the children of the world.... Whether they're black ... yellow or white.... Napalm really outta sight cause ... Napalm sticks to all the children of the world....

[risk]

For him, the real problem is the existence of America itself. Ultimately, Musil's kind can only be satisfied by a broken America full of Mao-suited peasants, toiling on collectivized farms and cringing in fear of a jackbooted UN occupation force.

I'm not sure it's so black and white. There is another, even more sinister effect at play. These apologists for American might actually believe that the UN and even American power are more than adequate for solving all of the world's problems. What do I mean? With the blood and sacrifice of our armed forces, we have gained power and influence in the world, for the good of mankind. But these elitists sit in their ivory towers squandering the advantages that we have now, falsely believing that the power is endless. And they think the UN should usurp even American sovereignty in order to benefit mankind.

In their minds they ask, "Why would we ever need to use these weapons if America is the greatest country in the world?" That is how they think. They actually believe that we have no serious enemies. They believe that our advantages are impregnable. They believe that we are done fighting and now we should go around taking care of the world like so many caretakers.

If they had a chance to get to know real soldiers who have lost their buddies on these fields of honor, they would not take our fleeting victories for granted. They would sieze every bulwark, every opportunity to reinforce the strengths that we have won, and they would compromise at nothing to hold onto the strategic and tactical advantages that we have.

But instead, they look for ways to "balance" our power with that of others -- irrespective of the ideologies and ambitions of those other powers, and apologize for the victories we've been blessed enough to gain only at the highest of prices.

When you believe our nation could never be threatened, when you believe our force is immoral, and when you believe the future is assured, it's no surprise that you might come to the conclusion that napalm or nuclear weapons are wrong. I believe that these same arguments are being used against our second amendment rights. The elite center and near left seriously believe that American superiority is endless, and western civilization will always be free.

For those of us with parents and grandparents who fought "western" Germany, how can we ever forget?

[OldFriend]

They'd rather we dropped marshmallows?

[HiTech RedNeck]

American pilots dropped the controversial incendiary agent napalm on Iraqi troops during the advance on Baghdad. The attacks caused massive fireballs that obliterated several Iraqi positions.

NEAT

[Zeroisanumber]

Why the hell is the DoD bothering to mislead anyone? There's nothing wrong with using napalm or napalm-like bombs so why try to dance around it?

[HiTech RedNeck]

Made with kerosene... I guess it's redneck napalm.

[SAMWolf]

BTTT. See post 43 Snippy

[nmh]

THe Pentagon had no reason to deny it since "The US, which did not sign the treaty, ...". This is what makes me distrust govenment. They deny something and later on the truth slips out.

[DAPFE8900]

What is with this BS! "The us used it both against CIVILIANS and military targets in Vietnam". THey make it sound like we indescrimently targeted civilians with napalm in NAM. THAT IS SUCH A FREAKING LIE! Hey BRIT libs, if you werent there shut your pie holes!!!