The Common Ills: 2017-06-04

Saturday, June 10, 2017

Day 234

Quote of the Day, civilian casualties mount in Iraq https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/06/06/iraq-civilian-casualties-mount-west-mosul … #Mosul

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The suffering continues.

And the efforts to 'liberate' Mosul continue with them.

Day 234 of The Mosul Slog.

‏Verified account @AFP

Iraqi paramilitary forces say they had retaken all areas west of Mosul from the IS group except Tal Afar town http://u.afp.com/4eFP 

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Last night I heard the screaming
Loud voices behind the wall
Another sleepless night for me
It won't do no good to call
The police always come late
If they come at all
-- "Behind The Wall," written by Tracy Chapman, first appears on her self-titled debut album

As we like to point out, the press is a great deal like the police -- they, too, come late if they come at all.

From last Saturday's "The 'liberation' of Mosul:"

The 'liberation' of Mosul has gone on for 227 days and yet the bulk of the coverage has been propaganda.

That's changing a little.

Kurdistan24 English‏Verified account @K24English 16 hours ago

WATCH: #Iraq-i forces allegedly use white phosphorous to shell #ISIS in west #Mosul, @K24English unable to verify.
kurdistan24.net/en/news/30992c…

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Osama bin Javaid (ALJAZEERA) reports:

Iraqi officials have said they will investigate allegations that their forces used white phosphorus against ISIL-held areas of western Mosul.
"[We] cannot deny nor confirm – we are investigating into these news and will come up with a statement to clear things up for the public," a spokesman for Iraqi Ministry of Defence Brigadier General Yahiya Rasoul told Al Jazeera.

A Kurdish TV crew was streaming live on Saturday when Iraqi forces used what look to be highly incendiary munitions.

Friday, it got some media attention in the US.

‏Verified account @BenjaminNorton

Replying to @BenjaminNorton

US-led forces using white phosphorus in populated areas in Iraq & Syria.
It burns to the bone—water can't put it out

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He's linking to Thomas Gibbons-Neff's piece for THE WASHINGTON POST:

The U.S.-led coalition in Iraq and Syria appears to have used white phosphorus-loaded munitions on at least two occasions in densely populated areas of Mosul and in the Islamic State’s de facto capital of Raqqa, according to videos posted online and human rights groups.
The often-controversial munitions are common in western militaries and are used primarily to create smoke screens, though they can also be dropped as an incendiary weapon. When a white phosphorus shell explodes, the chemical inside reacts with the air, creating a thick white cloud. When it comes in contact with flesh, it can maim and kill by burning to the bone.
While international humanitarian law stipulates that civilians must be protected from all military operations, it also says that countries must take even more care when using white phosphorus. Additionally, because of the weapon’s ability to cause grievous and inhumane injuries, rights groups caution against using white phosphorus to kill enemy troops if other weapons are available.

A week later and, sorry, but I have to wonder if it wasn't for the 'also in Syria' aspect if it ever would have gotten reported by the US press?

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