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US admits it used napalm bombs in Iraq
The Independent on Sunday (U.K.) ^ | 08/10/03 | Andrew Buncombe

Posted on 08/09/2003 1:08:58 PM PDT by Pokey78

Edited on 11/10/2004 4:21:39 PM PST by Jim Robinson. [history]

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.


(Excerpt) Read more at news.independent.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: aftermathanalysis; cool; deadiraqisoldiers; iraq; iraqifreedom; napalm
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To: Pokey78
Buncombe makes it seem like a bad thing.
41 posted on 08/09/2003 2:26:02 PM PDT by Diogenesis (If you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us)
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To: Pokey78
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....

42 posted on 08/09/2003 2:27:07 PM PDT by Yasotay
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To: hayfried; SAMWolf; ALOHA RONNIE
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?

43 posted on 08/09/2003 2:34:41 PM PDT by risk
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To: Pokey78
They'd rather we dropped marshmallows?
44 posted on 08/09/2003 2:37:31 PM PDT by OldFriend ((Dems inhabit a parallel universe))
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To: 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.

NEAT

45 posted on 08/09/2003 2:38:27 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck
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To: Pokey78
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?
46 posted on 08/09/2003 2:43:24 PM PDT by Zeroisanumber
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To: Zeroisanumber
Made with kerosene... I guess it's redneck napalm.
47 posted on 08/09/2003 2:46:16 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck
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To: risk; snippy_about_it
BTTT. See post 43 Snippy
48 posted on 08/09/2003 2:46:23 PM PDT by SAMWolf (Behind every argument is someone's ignorance.)
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To: Pokey78
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.
49 posted on 08/09/2003 2:51:44 PM PDT by nmh
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To: Pokey78
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!!!
50 posted on 08/09/2003 2:52:05 PM PDT by DAPFE8900 (q)
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To: Threepwood
How is napalm worse than a bomb full of ordinary explosive?

Is mustard gas worse than napalm?

51 posted on 08/09/2003 2:52:42 PM PDT by Doe Eyes
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To: Pokey78
US admits it used napalm bombs in Iraq

They say this like it's a bad thing.

52 posted on 08/09/2003 2:53:38 PM PDT by DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet (Dear IRS: I would like to cancel my subscription. Please remove my name from your mailing list.)
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To: Doe Eyes; Threepwood
Is mustard gas worse than napalm?

It depends on who's on the receiving end. Gas is quite unpredictable. It often floats back to harm the delivering side. And the ebb and flow of the battle can bring the delivering side into its effects, as well.

Napalm and its close cousin the flame thrower are far more predictable.

53 posted on 08/09/2003 2:56:15 PM PDT by risk
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To: Pokey78
This is a surprise. Due to some TV news some years ago, I thought that napalm was out of the inventory of weapons.

Good to see it back.

54 posted on 08/09/2003 2:56:23 PM PDT by LibKill (The sacred word, TANSTAAFL.)
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To: Pokey78
allrightythen... so no matter what it is made out of, no matter what it is officially called, no matter that the new formulation is in accord with the directives of some silly agreement, just becuae the grunts persist in calling any form of thickened pyro/incendiary weapon napalm" it is still "napalm"???
55 posted on 08/09/2003 2:58:54 PM PDT by King Prout (people hear and do not listen, see and do not observe, speak without thought, post and not edit)
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To: SAMWolf
Thanks, Sam, for the reminder that the 9-11 terrorists intended jets fully loaded with fuel to act like an incendiary bomb.
56 posted on 08/09/2003 3:00:17 PM PDT by colorado tanker (Iron Horse)
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To: LibKill
NAPALM is out.
Napalm used gasoline.
The new stuff uses kerosine.
Not the same stuff, not really napalm.
rom what I hear, it is... even... BETTER :)
57 posted on 08/09/2003 3:00:29 PM PDT by King Prout (people hear and do not listen, see and do not observe, speak without thought, post and not edit)
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To: King Prout
Even better?

Please tell me more.

58 posted on 08/09/2003 3:07:02 PM PDT by LibKill (The sacred word, TANSTAAFL.)
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To: risk
Well said. Never Forget.
59 posted on 08/09/2003 3:10:40 PM PDT by snippy_about_it (Pray for our Troops)
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To: DAPFE8900
THey make it sound like we indescrimently targeted civilians with napalm in NAM. THAT IS SUCH A FREAKING LIE!

Part of the situation, I understand, was that the Viet Cong used civilians as human shields, many against their will. And these aggregate movements were sometimes napalmed. I wonder if similar situations were encountered in Iraq.

60 posted on 08/09/2003 3:10:56 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck
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