The Times of London, which broke and then aggressively pursued the story of Israel's use of white phosphorous in Gaza, has a handy timeline of Israel's lies on the topic:
January 5 The Times reports that telltale smoke has appeared from areas of shelling. Israel denies using phosphorus
January 8 The Times reports photographic evidence showing stockpiles of white phosphorus (WP) shells. Israel Defence Forces spokesman says: "This is what we call a quiet shell – it has no explosives and no white phosphorus"
January 12 The Times reports that more than 50 phosphorus burns victims are taken into Nasser Hospital. An Israeli military spokesman "categorically" denies the use of white phosphorus
January 15 Remnants of white phosphorus shells are found in western Gaza. The IDF refuses to comment on specific weaponry but insists ammunition is "within the scope of international law"
January 16 The United Nations Relief and Works Agency headquarters are hit with phosphorus munitions. The Israeli military continues to deny its use
January 21 Avital Leibovich, Israel’s military spokeswoman, admits white phosphorus munitions were employed in a manner "according to international law"
January 23 Israel says it is launching an investigation into white phosphorus munitions, which hit a UN school on January 17. "Some practices could be illegal but we are going into that. The IDF is holding an investigation concerning one specific unit and one incident"
Seeing as we've reached the "few bad apples" stage—painfully familiar to anyone who's spent time following our own military's similar cascades of evolving lies—I think it's safe to say we're not going to make it to reality:
Pigs Fly Israel said it used white phosphorous on civilians and "militants" alike because it's a highly-effective terror weapon that leaves psychological scars almost as deep as the physical ones.
Much less the deeper underlying truth:
Hell Freezes Over Israel admits it used white phosphorous because Palestinians are no more than "lice" and "drugged cockroaches in a bottle" anyway, so who gives a shit how they die?
Sometimes I hope all the unspoken truths in the history of the world will gather together beyond the brightest rainbow and form a magnificent dinosaur. We'll call it a Truthceratops, or a Truthosaurus Rex, or maybe even a Veraciloptor. But I know it's just a crazy dream.
People on so-called liberal blogs were saying that it was "used for illumination"---wtf?? What is wrong with lights?
What bullshit.
Posted by: KDelphi | Monday, January 26, 2009 at 09:36 PM
I see---its used as a "smokescreen". Bullshit again. "everyone else uses it". tough. we're war criminals too.
Posted by: KDelphi | Monday, January 26, 2009 at 10:19 PM
I think defense attorneys call this the "three dog defense":
1) Your honor, by client doesn't even own a dog
2) Well, yes, he has a dog, but it doesn't bite
3) Well, yes it did bite that child, but the child was teasing it
Posted by: SteveB | Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at 06:42 AM
umm... defense attorneys with a cold. The healthy ones say,
1) Your honor, my client doesn't even own a dog
Posted by: SteveB | Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at 06:44 AM
It would be too bright to look at, like the sun the old testament God. To see it would be to die.
"Veracilopter" is a wonderful pun.
Posted by: Save the Oocytes | Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at 07:30 AM
I posted something about Israel's attack on Gaza on the WNPJ blog, and got a comment (a rare occurence for us!) in support of the Israeli attack, written in the style of someone for whom English may not be a first language. I wonder if it's one of the Hasbara volunteers you warned us about?
If they have an intelligence operation that can find a blog as obscure as mine, I'm impressed!
Posted by: SteveB | Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at 10:28 AM
SteveB: "Three dog defense"? Nice. Even Google considers that an obscure reference.
Regarding the comment on your blog, you may not have a permanent companion; someone might just be doing Gaza-related searches from blogsearch.google.com and spreading the hasbara line wherever it seems necessary. It could easily be just an innocent coincidence too, of course; I've occasionally run across relatively obscure blog postings via news.google.com or other indirect means, and sometimes I'll leave a comment (even though I know I'll probably never get back to see the replies).
StO: ...a wonderful pun.
I'm so glad somebody noticed.
Posted by: John Caruso | Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at 11:06 AM
SteveB--I dont know if it is Hasbara, either, but, yes, the stuff you post about google, etc, is ridiculous. I complained about it at Mother Jones and it was deleted. Corn has become such a kiss up.
I just signed up for the JVFP and the students anti-draft group and got a letter, trying to enlist me (I am not Jewish).
Obama has such a network, and, is looking to "expand"! So, I guess, since I posted a couple complaints and preferences on issues, I will be getting spammed by them. Little bots.
You guys have probably seen it...http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/26/us/politics/26grassroots.html?_r=1
"His aides — including his campaign manager — have created a group, Organizing for America, to redirect the campaign machinery in the service of broad changes in health care and environmental and fiscal policy. They envision an army of supporters talking, sending e-mail and texting to friends and neighbors as they try to mold public opinion.
The organization will be housed in the Democratic National Committee, rather than at the White House. But the idea behind it — that the traditional ways of communicating with and motivating voters are giving way to new channels built around social networking — is also very evident in the White House’s media strategy.
Like George W. Bush before him, Mr. Obama is trying to bypass the mainstream news media and take messages straight to the public.". ...
http://www.prwatch.org/spin
"They're beginning to create their own journalism, their own description of events of the day, but it's not an independent voice making that description,' said Bill Kovach, the chairman of the Committee of Concerned Journalists. 'It's troublesome until we know how it's going to be used and the degree to which it can be used on behalf of the people, and not on behalf of only one point of view.'"
Posted by: KDelphi | Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at 12:32 PM
Nope, hadn't seen that. Very interesting. We'll see which way it goes, but if it's as bad as it has the potential to be I hereby suggest we call them the "hasbama army" (though I'm ok with "hasbarama army" as an alternative).
Posted by: John Caruso | Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at 01:57 PM
Hey, thanks for deleting my inadvertent double post. Proper thread maintenance is what separates professional bloggers from the amateurs.
Posted by: SteveB | Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at 04:29 PM
We aims to please.
Posted by: John Caruso | Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at 04:43 PM