Weapons of Mass Destruction
Use of Weapons of Mass Destruction by the U.S.
As U.S. citizens, we often think of ourselves as belonging to a high-road nation, one dedicated to “doing the right thing,” whatever that might be. Additionally, while one might think that global superpower status should also denote a degree of “high road” morality, particularly because we are “citizens of the United States of America” and that we are looking out for and guarding against the Saddam Husseins of the world, this is simply not true.
Reality, however, is not quite as simplistic. In looking at weapon systems that can be easily classified as weapons of mass destruction and at our country’s position on the manufacture and use of these weapons, it becomes quite apparent that, no matter which political party is “in charge” in Washington, the manufacture, sale and even the use of these weapons is heavily protected by the powers that be in our government. Eisenhower’s famous lines about the military-industrial complex in his farewell address have proven to be very true. And General Smedley D. Butler’s 20-20 hindsight from 1935 (War is a Racket) observations about U.S. wars in which he had participated as being for economic reasons, not ideologies, have apparently not changed since his time.
So, what are these so-called Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)?
The links below will open weapons of mass destruction subcategories. Most posts also contain PDF files you can download to read at your convenience. Note the commonality with other topics on this website. In addition, please realize that in joining the military you typically have little choice in what career field you’d be placed in, whether it is conventional munitions or dealing with a weapons field on the fringes of morality and international legality. Notice in your contract that “the needs of the government” come first. Hence your desires are typically a distant last.
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The Bomb Didn’t Stop Japan, Stalin Did
The Bomb Didn’t Stop Japan, Stalin Did: Have decades of nuclear policy been based on a lie? The orthodox view is that, yes, of course, it worked, but there are three major problems with it, and, taken together, they significantly undermine the traditional interpretation of the Japanese surrender.
Study: Sloppy Maintenance Culture, Multiple Errors Caused F-22 to Overheat
Sloppy maintenance culture, multiple errors caused F-22 to overheat, investigation finds (INTERJECTION: This incident is SO FAMILIAR –ref. “A Near Miss - And How Many More Unreported?” concerning a similar maintenance error, but in nuclear maintenance, that could have...
Starve the Pentagon, Feed the People
As an ex/nuclear weapons electronics technician/team chief, involved in an undocumented maintenance screw-up that almost wiped out the island of Puerto Rico, I am ALL IN FAVOR of TOTALLY ELIMINATING Nuke Weapons funding!!! It’s time we stop prioritizing weapons before citizens and re-evaluate our funding of nuclear weapons.
UK Nuclear Arsenal Plan Slammed as Violation of International Law
In a move that peace campaigners say violates Britain’s disarmament commitment under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday unveiled a plan that would increase the size of the nation’s nuclear arsenal by up to 40%.
Making America Feared Again…
Making America Feared Again... The Trump Administration Considers Resuming (UNNECESSARY) Nuclear Weapons Testing By Lawrence Wittner, Global Research, July 20, 2020, Common Dreams 18 July 2020...
Agent Orange – Terrible Legacy of the Vietnam War
Agent Orange: Terrible Legacy of the Vietnam War Thursday, 30 April 2015 00:00 By Marjorie Cohn, Truthout | News Analysis http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/30519-agent-orange-terrible-legacy-of-the-vietnam-war A helicopter sprays foliage with Agent Orange in an...
Broken Arrows Nuclear Weapons Accidents
Since 1950, there have been 32 nuclear weapon accidents, known as Broken Arrows. To date, six nuclear weapons have been lost and never recovered.
US to Clean Up Spanish Radioactive Site 49 Years After Plane Crash
Nearly 50 years after a US air force B-52 bomber carrying nuclear weapons crashed in Palomares in south-east Spain,
Washington has finally agreed to clean up the radioactive contamination that resulted from the crash.
US nearly detonated atomic bomb over North Carolina – Secret Document
The bomb that nearly exploded over North Carolina was 260 times more powerful than the device which devasted Hiroshima in 1945.
Nuclear Military Jet Crashed in Greenland in 1968…
On Jan. 21, 1968, an American B-52G Stratofortress bomber, carrying four nuclear bombs, crashed onto the sea ice of Wolstenholme Fjord in the northwest corner of Greenland, one of the coldest places on Earth. Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and the Danes were not pleased.
Bikini Islanders Still Deal with Fallout of US Nuclear Tests
At present, about half of the valid claimants have died waiting for their compensation. Congress shows no inclination to replenish the empty fund, so it’s unlikely the remaining survivors will ever see their money.
US Jets Strike Syria with Banned White Phosphorus Bombs
US jets strike Syrian town with banned white phosphorus bombs – Russian Defense Ministry Published time: 9 Sep, 2018 17:06, Edited: 10 Sep, 2018 https://www.rt.com/news/438008-us-strikes-syria-white-phosphorus/ FILE PHOTO. © Scott Nelson / Getty Images Two US jets...
The Soldier’s Tale
The Soldier’s Tale: “There are always young men and women ardent for glory, seduced by the power to inflict violence and naive enough to die for the merchants of death.” REPOST
Questions for Military Recruiters and Answers Military Recruiters Should Give You
Questions for Military Recruiters, and Answers Military Recruiters Should Give You (Initiated by the American Friends Service Committee.) The MilitaryTruth.org answers below come from various veterans' experience and other commonly available sources. 1 How long is my...
Atrocities and Weapons of Mass Destruction
This footnoted research piece contains several reposted articles from various authors and sources detailing war crimes in Iraq, particularly Fallujah, the questionable tactics undertaken by the US Military to promote the use of depleted uranium weapons of mass destruction, and the desecration of bodies intended to cover up the fact that most were civilians. The post contains extremely graphic content that will be distressing to sensitive individuals.
The Smart Weapons Fallacy
“There’s no such thing as a smart bomb.” Repost of a December 2017 article by Patrick Cockburn / CounterPunch
White Phosphorus Munitions
“The assaults on Fallujah by the United States military in April and November 2004 involved the use of white phosphorus. White phosphorus has extremely damaging effects on the health of victims, including severe burns and irritation of the respiratory system. [This analysis concludes that] the use of white phosphorus was illegal (per Chemical Weapons Convention, Protocol III to the Convention on Conventional Weapons and international humanitarian law) as it could be argued to be a chemical weapon, a riot control agent, or incendiary weapon…”
Nuclear WMD
The U.S. accounts for more than 40 percent of the planet’s military spending and has more than 5,500 strategic nuclear weapons, enough to blow the world up 5 to 50 times over. Risks include the ego-driven childish exchanges between president tRump & Kim Jong-un of N. Korea and nuclear maintenance errors detonating a weapon
Napalm Bombs and Flamethrowers
Napalm is a mixture of petrol and a chemical thickener which produces a tough sticky gel that attaches itself to the skin. The igniting agent, white phosphorus, continues burning for a considerable amount of time. A reported three quarters of all napalm victims in Vietnam were burned through to the muscle and bone (fifth degree burns). The pain caused by the burning is so traumatic that it often causes death.
Depleted Uranium
Depleted Uranium is a long-term life-threatening nuclear weapon that the U.S. currently uses. It meets the definition of weapon of mass destruction in two of three categories under U.S. Federal Code.