White phosphor is indeed used in fireworks, it looks like a firework shooting out sparks, it is also a very nasty thing they use in some military explosives that burn into flesh and cause serious pain and damage.
WP can be used to generate smoke, these are generally harmless. On the other hand it can be weaponised and use to create wounds like this.....
WARNING! Gruesome video, do not watch if at work or you are squeamish! You have been warned.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/vide...sphorus-victim
Essentially the wound takes forever to heal and causes much more suffering than conventional explosives. It is technically not illegal to use it in warfare, but it is a pretty grey area, most countries would hesitate to use it.
That really depends on which part of the West you live in and which political circles you run in. In my experience, when people talk about Israeli use of WP is almost universally a way of showing what heartless monsters they are. But, both sides use it. As do the US and the UK, though generally not as a direct munition.
And, in the end, does it really make a difference what the Israelis are bombing people with? I'm sure the people killed with Israeli WP munitions would be every bit as dead from HE.
When survival is the goal, it's into the spider hole!
misfire? setting women and children on fire ah its ok it was a misfire.. anywhere else in the world there would be outrage but its ok in gazza? does it really matter whether it was a misfire? isnt there a repsonsibilty on the side with over whelming fire power to at least try and moderate their actions?
so basically all these times i see movie explosions and see the fireworks appearance and say "lol fake explosion", you guys see something different? that sucks. as i understand it, napalm had similar burn effects, possibly worse, as it stuck to people and continued burning, like hot grease (btw, if you get burning grease on you DONT attempt to wipe it off). is napalm on the "banned" list?
Thats a bad attitude to have, if you are going to kill people in war then it is generally considered better to do it as quickly and as painlessly as possible. This is the reason why chemical agents and gas attacks are now illegal. A WP will burn and cause a very slow death, a HE round will kill or maim much faster with a lot less pain.
When survival is the goal, it's into the spider hole!
Miss-fires caused by carelessness on both sides should be treated as manslaughter (At the very lest).
Personally I consider it murder, but I know most people would not go for that...
Napalm is in the same category as WP, it is legal to use against military targets but most countries would hesitate to use it nowadays. We have much more effective weapons that can do a better job of it and "cleaner" too. Setting fire to people to kill them is a really bad way to quickly kill someone, if they happen to survive but are wounded you are looking at a long and very painful recovery process. Anyone that has ever had a bad burn knows how agonizing they can be.
Anything that's purpose is to burn people to death is against international law, so yes incendiaries are included, so far as I know.
In fact, I remember it was an issue when the US was using the "bunker buster" missiles, because when they got into the bunkers, they didn't just kill with an explosion, but rather created a ball of fire that burned people alive, which was technically illegal.
I've never worked with weapon explosives before, but I've worked pretty extensively with Pentolite high explosive, and the explosions are pretty much nothing like you see in movies and on TV. They're practically over before you even notice they're so fast.
'Twas a cutlass swipe or an ounce of lead
Or a yawing hole in a battered head
And the scuppers clogged with rotting red
And there they lay I damn me eyes
All lookouts clapped on Paradise
All souls bound just contrarywise, yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
--- Want any of my Constitutional rights?, ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
I come from a time and a place where I judge people by the content of their character; I don't give a damn if you are tall or short; gay or straight; Jew or Gentile; White, Black, Brown or Green; Conservative or Liberal. -- Note to mods: if you are going to infract me have the decency to post the reason, and expect to hold everyone else to the same standard.
'Twas a cutlass swipe or an ounce of lead
Or a yawing hole in a battered head
And the scuppers clogged with rotting red
And there they lay I damn me eyes
All lookouts clapped on Paradise
All souls bound just contrarywise, yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
I have a suggestion, everyone leave Israel alone and stop launching rockets into their schools and homes and actually start complying with the Peace Accords that you demand Israel abide by... because we all know that peace accords work best when only one side complies and not both... but wait... that would mean that the countries in the region would have to live up to their word.
Actually, I AM in support of letting y'all inspect Israeli nukes and their potential for devastation, up close and personal...
--- Want any of my Constitutional rights?, ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
I come from a time and a place where I judge people by the content of their character; I don't give a damn if you are tall or short; gay or straight; Jew or Gentile; White, Black, Brown or Green; Conservative or Liberal. -- Note to mods: if you are going to infract me have the decency to post the reason, and expect to hold everyone else to the same standard.
I'm not a soldier, so my callousness may be cavalier, but I really just think it's a question of efficiency. White phosphors is really just not a very good way to kill people in general. But, if the choice is leveling half a city block with HE to get at concealed enemy fighters or shooting some WP rockets into their hidey holes, might as well go with the WP.
When survival is the goal, it's into the spider hole!