Special Report's Grapevine #1: Civilian Deaths in Fallujah
Reported by Marie Therese - November 15, 2004 -
During "The Grapevine" segment of Special Report with Brit Hume (11/12/04), substitute host, Brian Wilson, read off a number of "newsworthy reports." I'm reporting on them as a chain of smaller reports because I believe the topics are so important. The first concerns civilian deaths in Fallujah.
BRIAN WILSON: Islam-Online.net an Arab news site, which claims to adhere to "objective treatment and scientific accuracy," reports that U. S. troops are gassing citizens in Fallujah. The site quotes what it calls "resistance sources who say Coalition troops are "using chemical weapons out of despair and helplessness in the face of the steadfast and fierce resistance put up by Fallujah people, who drove U. S. troops out of several districts." U. S. military spokesmen have denied all aspects of that story.
COMMENT: Yesterday on Air America, independent journalist Dahr Jamail reported that there is mounting evidence that the United States is using munitions containing phosphorous, which burns the skin. Other reporters on Air American and Democracy Now have noted that there is a stench of death in Fallujah, that buildings have collapsed on" insurgents" (if you believe the military) or "civilians" (if you believe everybody else). Jamail noted that it is impossible to determine exactly how many civilians were left in Fallujah. The Coalition puts it as low as 30,000 while anecdotal evidence puts it closer to 150,000. Jamail explained that there were a number of reason why people could not leave Fallujah - lack of transportation, lack of money, no family to go to and - most importantly - no men between the ages of 16 and 60 were allowed to leave, because they fit the terrorist profile. The Red Crescent has not been permitted to bring a convoy of medical supplies into the city, in spite of the fact that the Coalition claims they have subdued the whole city.
Several international organizations have suggested that American soldiers have committed war crimes, especially if it can be proven that cluster bombs and chemical-based weapons have been used indiscriminately. Such weapons are apparently approved when facing an enemy army (what a world we live in!) but are definitely NOT allowed to be used in combat situations where there is a high likelihood of civilian casualties.
