Democrats were routinely briefed on Bush ‘torture’ techniques, document shows.
Cheney learned Iran-Contra lessons.

Posted by: andrew | May 11 2009 12:39 utc | 4

Not a peep in democrats-dominated US and its main media about this survey that shows how Democrats are more likely to blame the Jews for the economic crisis

Posted by: Zemoralist | May 11 2009 17:26 utc | 6

I read about the accusations of white phosphorous use last night and wondered how easy it is to obtain such weapons. The US is saying that any such use was by the “Taliban,” but why and how?
I’d appreciate any info from people here who understand how such weapons are used. T/U.

Posted by: jawbone | May 11 2009 18:41 utc | 8

@jawbone
Willy Pete is a petroleum product created right here in the good Ol’ USA. So like everything else, if the Taliban used it, (which is highly doubtful) then they bought it from us. We are the masters of premeditation and methodically blame the victim. When I say, methodical, I mean exactly that, it’s systemic and part of the Bush/Cheney doctrine, a protocol to accuse ‘the bad guys’ of what we do. It’s a shell game. In other words, victim blaming is holding the victims of a crime that we are selves are perpetrating. It’s a ploy that works, thanks to the whore media. so why change© it merely because we have a new liar in Chief residing in the peoples house? The only thing he’s supposed to change© is America’s image. That’s why they picked him.
Besides, we have a long history of using it, most recently in Fallujah, as well as our partner in murder, Is-ra-el in Gaza.

Posted by: Uncle $cam | May 11 2009 20:12 utc | 10

b, others: Here’s the article I read last night, but I’d read others earlier which indicated the US military was saying if there was WP, it had to have been used by the Taliban.

By JASON STRAZIUSO
Associated Press Writers
[This has been updated since last night and has many changes from what I remember; so I’m posting more than I usually would.]
KABUL (AP) — The U.S. accused Afghan militants Monday of using white phosphorus as a weapon in “reprehensible” attacks on U.S. forces and in civilian areas.
SNIP
The U.S. military declassified documents Monday showing at least 38 instances where militants had used white phosphorus in attacks or where weapons had been found in eastern Afghanistan, where the U.S. primarily operates. The NATO-led force supplied information on six other instances in the country.
The U.S. said militants used white phosphorus in improvised explosive attacks at least seven times since spring 2007, some in civilian areas. The documents showed 12 attacks where militants used white phosphorus in mortars or rockets, the majority of which came the last two years.
The most recent militant attack came Thursday, when a NATO outpost in Logar was hit with two rounds of indirect white phosphorus fire, the documents said. Most troops in Logar, just south of Kabul, are American.
SNIP
Col. Greg Julian, the top U.S. military spokesman in Afghanistan, said the U.S. didn’t use white phosphorus in last week’s fight in Farah province.
Farah’s governor told the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission that many of those killed in the battle had severe burns, Nadery said. The governor said that Taliban fighters may have attacked the villagers with a flammable material, though not necessarily white phosphorus, Nadery said.
The militants’ use of white phosphorus as a weapon could cause “unnecessary suffering” as defined in the laws of warfare, U.S. spokeswoman Maj. Jenny Willis said.
“This pattern of irresponsible and indiscriminate use of white phosphorus by insurgents is reprehensible and should be noted by the international human rights community,” she said. Willis said the military doesn’t necessarily know militants are using white phosphorus deliberately, but that its use is still “indiscriminate.”
[Damn! It’s not “irresponsible” or “reprehensible” when the US uses it in civilian areas?]
Militants find white phosphorus rounds in old weapons stores left over from decades of war, she said, but also get newer rounds from “neighbors,” a reference to militant networks in Pakistan.
A Taliban spokesman couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
The U.S. allegations come after Human Rights Watch last week called on NATO to release information into a March 14 battle in Kapisa – one province northeast of Kabul, where many French troops are stationed – in which Razia was burned by white phosphorus munitions.

Posted by: jawbone | May 11 2009 23:26 utc | 12

ref. the white phosphorus issue.
The BBC news now has an article up claiming the Taliban used it (in 44 incidents !) – source appears the US military.
Me: highly sceptical.

Posted by: Philippe | May 12 2009 2:10 utc | 14