Shake 'n' bake.
November 9, 2005 4:57 AM Subscribe
Shake 'n' bake. The US Army's Field Artillery Magazine reported in an article in their March/April '05 edition that it used weaponized white phosphorus in Fallujah -- contrary to Pentagon and US State Department denials.
"WP proved to be an effective and versatile munition. We used it for screening missions at two breeches and . . . against the insurgents in trench lines and spider holes when we could not get effects on them with HE. We fired 'shake and bake' missions at the insurgents, using WP to flush them out and HE to take them out." This claim is further supported by an article from a journalist who was embedded with an artillery unit. "they ran through the drill again and again, sending a mixture of burning white phosphorus and high explosives they call "shake 'n' bake" into a cluster of buildings where insurgents have been spotted all week."
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Why does the US Army's Field Artillery Magazine hate America?
posted by emelenjr at 5:09 AM on November 9, 2005
posted by emelenjr at 5:09 AM on November 9, 2005
Serious question:
What's wrong with using white phosphorus during war?
When a country goes to war, it's to kill as many of the enemy as possible, in the easiest manner, while keeping your own troops from getting killed. So becoming outraged or disliking the use of certain weapons or even trying to ban certain weapons almost becomes silly.
Would it better if we had lined everyone up and shot them in the head?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:12 AM on November 9, 2005
What's wrong with using white phosphorus during war?
When a country goes to war, it's to kill as many of the enemy as possible, in the easiest manner, while keeping your own troops from getting killed. So becoming outraged or disliking the use of certain weapons or even trying to ban certain weapons almost becomes silly.
Would it better if we had lined everyone up and shot them in the head?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:12 AM on November 9, 2005
Brandon, well, we were blaming Saddam for wanting to have WP rounds in his dread arsenal of WMDs.
We are, in theory, invading to make sure that he doesn't have those (and a number of other examples listed). Bit hypocritical.
posted by Malor at 5:20 AM on November 9, 2005
We are, in theory, invading to make sure that he doesn't have those (and a number of other examples listed). Bit hypocritical.
posted by Malor at 5:20 AM on November 9, 2005
"What's wrong with using white phosphorus during war?"
Because, it's extremely indiscriminate when used in places where there are civilians.
A white phosphorus bombardment will form a cloud that kills everything up to 150 meters away from where it hits. That's 300 meters wide, or approximately a fifth of a mile. A three city blocks circumference, basically.
"Shake and bake" barrages use white phosphorus to get the enemy running out of their shelters, away from the expanding cloud of death, only to run into a barrage of time-delay high explosive charges. Of course, if you're a civilian who doesn't know any better, or who is asleep, you're toast... literally.
posted by insomnia_lj at 5:27 AM on November 9, 2005
Because, it's extremely indiscriminate when used in places where there are civilians.
A white phosphorus bombardment will form a cloud that kills everything up to 150 meters away from where it hits. That's 300 meters wide, or approximately a fifth of a mile. A three city blocks circumference, basically.
"Shake and bake" barrages use white phosphorus to get the enemy running out of their shelters, away from the expanding cloud of death, only to run into a barrage of time-delay high explosive charges. Of course, if you're a civilian who doesn't know any better, or who is asleep, you're toast... literally.
posted by insomnia_lj at 5:27 AM on November 9, 2005
I should correct one thing... a three city block circle would be a better way of looking at it... not circumference.
posted by insomnia_lj at 5:29 AM on November 9, 2005
posted by insomnia_lj at 5:29 AM on November 9, 2005
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White phosphorus -- it's not just for Fallujah anymore!
posted by insomnia_lj at 4:59 AM on November 9, 2005