US Warplanes Terror-Bomb Syrian Targets with Banned White Phosphorous
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)
It’s an incendiary pyrophoric (self-igniting) terror weapon, able to stick to skin on contact and burn flesh to the bone.
If smoke from white phosphorous is inhaled, lungs, throat, and nostrils burn and blister until suffocation occurs.
It continues burning unless deprived of oxygen. Often it causes painful death, including from organ failure and shock.
Geneva Protocol III on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Incendiary Weapons (1980) banned use of white phosphorous against civilian populations and military forces in or near noncombatant areas.
Washington unlawfully used these weapons in terror-bombing Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Syria and elsewhere. Israel used them in Gaza and Lebanon.
According to Russia’s Syria reconciliation center on Sunday, “two F-15 warplanes of the US air force delivered airstrikes on the settlement of Hajin with the use of phosphorous bombs” - flagrantly violating Geneva Protocol III.
“The airstrikes caused heavy fires. Information about casualties and damages is being verified.”
In June, US warplanes terror-bombed al-Bukamal in Deir Ezzor province, killing and injuring Syrian servicemen, one of many war crimes committed by the US in Syria alone.
Damascus accused Washington of using banned white phosphorous earlier in civilian areas.
When caught red-handed committing war crimes in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Syria and elsewhere, Pentagon spokespersons consistently lie or say an investigation will be conducted - always whitewashed.
Hegemons aren’t held accountable for their high crimes of war and against humanity, notably not America and Israel - the most ruthlessly dangerous countries on planet earth, especially under their current ruling regimes.
Over the weekend, Pentagon spokesman Sean Robertson lied, saying “we have not received any reports of any use of white phosphorous,” adding:
“None of the military units in the area are even equipped with white phosphorous munitions of any kind.”
Russia has evidence otherwise. Once Syria’s ground offensive to liberate Idlib begins, US terror-bombing may strike its forces, aiding al-Nusra and other terrorists in the province, serving as their air force as in other parts of the country - falsely claiming to be combatting ISIS the US created and supports.
Separately, Turkish President Erdogan said he strongly opposes a Syrian/Russian military offensive to liberate Idlib on the phony pretext of favoring a political solution he disdains, evident by his war on Kurdish YPG forces and aim to forcefully annex northern Syrian and Iraqi territory.
On Sunday, he said “we will not accept any operation on civilians in the pretext of the fight against al-Nusra.” He lied claiming so-called “moderate opposition groups (are) not terror groups.”
He’s allied with Washington and NATO for regime change, saying “once elections are held and a new government is elected under the new constitution, (things will be) different.”
He opposes Assad remaining president despite his overwhelming popularity, easily able to win reelection when his term expires in June 2021 if he decides to run again.
Earlier he said he’ll only do so if Syrians want him to remain president. No political figure in the country approaches his popularity. No one but Syrians can legally decide who’ll lead them.
International law prohibits foreign interference in the internal affairs of any country - except in self-defense if attacked, clearly not the case in Syria, a non-aggressor country, unlike America, NATO, Israel, and their imperial partners.
A Final Comment
Last week, the Pentagon announced its own plan to combat terrorism in Syria it supports while claiming otherwise - adding it won’t cooperate with Russia on eliminating this scourge because Washington uses cutthroat killer jihadists as imperial proxies.
The geopolitical agendas of Russia and America are world’s apart, notably on Syria and Ukraine.
The unthinkable is possible in both countries, especially Syria, events leading to East/West confrontation by accident or design.
What Moscow is going all-out to avoid, Trump regime hardliners could instigate a clash with Russia by escalating war in Syria to prevent its liberation from terrorists the US supports.
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