Willie Pete (Updated)

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They call it “Willie Pete”.  It’s GI slang for white phosphorus.  Willie Pete is used to burn things, light things and cause smoke.  It burns hot.  It initially is limited to the phosphorus in the round, but it can start fires and like any other fire, it can spread.

It is not, by any convention or standard, considered to be a Weapon of Mass Destruction, nor is its use outlawed by the Geneva Convention.  Probably every army on the planet uses it in some way.
 

White phosphorus is not banned by any treaty. The United States retains its ability to employ incendiaries to hold high-priority military targets at risk in a manner consistent with the principle of proportionality that governs the use of all weapons under existing law. The use of white phosphorus or fuel air explosives are not prohibited or restricted by Protocol II of the Certain Conventional Weapons Convention (CCWC), the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which may be Deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to have Indiscriminate Effects

Some ignorant dweebs on the left are all a twitter that the US was caught using WMD in Fallujah, specifically Willie Pete.  Their source is an unnamed GI confessing to RAI, an Italian broadcasting Network.  I will tell you that we most likely used the stuff.  It isn't WMD

An Engllish transaltion:

RAI News 24's investigative story, Fallujah, The Concealed Massacre, will be broadcast tomorrow on RAI-3 and will contain not only eye-witness accounts by US military personnel but those from Fallujah residents. A rain of fire descended on the city. People who were exposed to those multicolored substance began to burn. We found people with bizarre wounds-their bodies burned but their clothes intact, relates Mohamad Tareq al-Deraji, a biologist and Fallujah resident.

The idea that it would burn a body and it leaves the clothes intact is preposterous.  This is 2005.  Do a Google search for White Phosphorus.  If it is burning and it hits your clothes, cloth being flammable, your clothes will burn as well.

Willie Pete is indeed dangerous stuff, but so is gasoline if it burns.  The difference is that gas is a bit more stable.  Willie Pete will burn right down to the bone.  The Smoke it gives off is irritating, but the effects of breathing it are usually temporary.

Most liberals are not veterans.  They wouldn’t know the difference between Willie Pete from Willie ‘n’ Joe.  And those that think Willie Pete is WMD are most likely the same idiots who think Bush is Hitler.

UPDATE:

Jay Tea has even more information about White phosphorus and its uses and effects over at Wizbang.

Bottom line is simply this:  Willie Pete isn't a chemical weapon and not illegal in most situations.  The only limit on it's use is the same with any other munition.

VW

Comments

[Just another republican]

So when the stats all come out about WP all the bodies burned by it still have their clothes, eyebrows and hair. Stuff that should have been burned off if they had been killed, hell burned even by WP.

So yes, we use WP as illumination, smoke screens and other assorted usages. What I don't like is when liberals or anyone takes the time out of their day to try and demonize out soldiers like their all a bunch of sociopaths, that everyone joins the army just so they can kill civillians. Sure there are bad apples and we deal with them as they come up, no army, no society is immune to sadistic individuals, hell even the peacefull and content youth of France are killing people, shooting cops and burning cars.

If youre reading this and you are not from Amreica let me clue you in on something called innocent until proven guilty. That means if you want to be vindictive and accuse soldiers of using WP for the sole purpose of maiming and civillains the proof falls on you. Bodies that still have their clothes and hair just doesn't measure up with anybody who takes the time to check the facts on what the weapon does.

But to most people who bash whats going on it doesn't matter what we do it will be denounced as terror and demonic. If we had the army surrender and pass out roses to everyone we would be accused of ruining their natural desert haibitat or some other bull crap.

Sum it all up, if their is a soldier or group of soldiers out there using WP to maim civillians on purpose find them, find the proof (remember folks over here you have to convince 12 people)and bring it to light and we'll deal with them.

[Denny Hix]

A historical point about white phosphorus -- Germans would kill allied servicemen on the spot if they captured them with white phosphorus -- the stuff was so dispised.

An old guy I grew up with was on a bomber crew over Europe in WWII and forced to bail out. He realized as the Germans were approaching he had two WP grenades. They were used to signal other bombers over target.

He had to hustle to bury them.

And I remember reading a "Drama in Real Life" in an old Readers' Digest about an Air Corps crewman who earned the Medal of Honor when a WP flare got loose in (I believe) his B-29. The stuff could burn through the metal of the deck in seconds. He picked it up and got the burning flare into the launch tube. By the time he released it, he was holding the flare bwtween his forearms -- it had already burned his hands off.

[Ronald Reagan]

"Most liberals are not veterans."

Neither are most conservatives.

(Idiotic comment part deleted by VW)

[violence worker]

I never said it wasn't dangerous. I've never heard of the German story but the Germans used WP as much or more as anyone. WP Grenades are usually more for smoke and bang than killing someone. Not enough WP to do a lot unless it lands on you

It is in common use today. Even the C-17 uses WP flares as a countermeasure to heat seeking missiles. I'm not sure what the complaint is.

That story about the bomber is true. It was a defensive flare.

It isn't the most efficient munition to kill unless you want to burn something down.

Frankly, Mr. Hix, this is really a non-issue. We used it and we are probably still using it. It isn't illegal. A quick Google search would tell you that much.

VW

[Just another republcian]

"Germans would kill allied servicemen on the spot if they captured them with white phosphorus -- the stuff was so dispised."

This made me laugh. Germans would also kill russians, jews, gypsies, homesexuals and other "undesirables." Does that mean those groups of people are bad too? Using WWII German's dislikes to support your case realy doesn't.

Also, "They were used to signal other bombers over target."

Thank you for pointing out that the millitary doesn't use this as mass civillian killing tool but a general purpose smoke/heat tool.

If the US Millitary WANTED to kill civiliians on Iraq we could have just picked up where Sadam left off.

[Denny Hix]

Wasn't arguing that it's a chemical weapon. Just that it's hot as heck.

I thought it was pretty well known that it was used as a weapon.

The "shake and bake" missions referred to in later posts are from the military dropping it into "spider holes" and other tight quarters where insurgents had holed up. The Pentagon refers to it as a psychological weapon -- and I'm sure it led to a lot of changed minds about the safety of the spider hole an enemy fighter might have considered safe.

[Violence Worker]

We may disagree on some things Mr. Hix, but I appreciate your comments and I appreciate you being nice about it.

If I leave a comment on someone else's blog, I try and treatthe owner with the same degree of respect as I would hope folks would give me.

VW

[Don Bistrow]

The best part about Willie Pete is to watch the enemy suddenly look up and have that "exposed" look on their face as they are about to, presumably, collect their 72 virgins in hell.

OOOHRAH!

[Allen Foshee]

WP is nasty, no doubt about that but most all weapons of war are. That is why we get paid the big bucks right? It is no worse than getting hit with an RPG or IED. I have called for fire over 100 times but never requested WP, it just seems outdated compared to Copperheads and MOABs.

[Mourir666]

ok im not a vet or a soldier, hell i dont even plan to join the military but i do know quite a bit a bout chemicals and how they react. phosphorus burns at an extremely high temperature but also it burns very fast unless contained like in a smoke grenade. the temperature it burns at kills almost instantly unless you only come into contact with a small amount or if it is directed like a flare. it has actually been required to use tracer rounds, which use phosphorus, in some situations. really WP grenades are possibly the kindest way to kill because there is little chance of maiming someone like with a frag. like i said i dont inted to join the military but almost all of my uncles have and my aunt just retired from the coast Guard so i have a huge amout of respect for the men, and women, serving this country even if other people dont. i konw this is off topic but the comment of an ied made me think of it please keep one vet from my home town in your prayers his name is ricky yarosh of the 1-22 infantry who has suffered burns over 70% of his body over a year ago and was just released from to come home a few days ago.pleasekeep him and the other men in his bradley in your thoughts while he and his family adapt to his condition. thx