Washington Admits Supplying White Phosphorus Weapons to Saudi Dictatorship
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...-war-in-yemen/
http://news.antiwar.com/2016/09/19/u...rus-munitions/

Saudi Arabia appears to be using U.S.-supplied white phosphorus munitions in its war in Yemen … Under U.S. regulations, white phosphorus sold to other countries is to be used only for signaling to other troops and creating smoke screens. … When used against soldiers or civilians, it can maim and kill by burning to the bone.

the Saudis … government has already received widespread condemnation for its indiscriminate bombing in civilian areas since its campaign against rebel forces in Yemen began …

U.S. officials confirmed that the American government has supplied the Saudis white phosphorus … After reviewing a social media image taken from the battlefield that showed a white phosphorus mortar shell, a U.S. official said it appeared to be American in origin …

Since coming to office in 2009, the Obama administration has facilitated more than $115 billion in 42 different arms sales to Saudi Arabia, more than any other U.S. administration …

The Pentagon provides midair refueling for Saudi aircraft and limited intelligence resources to Saudi forces. In addition to short-term military assistance, the Pentagon and the State Department, as well as other Western countries, have facilitated the sale of billions of dollars worth of arms to the Kingdom, everything from hand grenades to attack helicopters.

The United States has used white phosphorus against fighters, including in 2004 in Fallujah, Iraq, and sporadically in Afghanistan over the course of the war there. In 2009, Israel used the weapon in populated areas in the Gaza Strip.

Images on pro-Saudi Twitter and Instagram accounts show that Saudi forces are using several systems for firing white phosphorus munitions, including tank rounds, mortars, howitzers and rifle grenades. … The most recent footage — posted Sept. 9 — shows a U.S.-developed M198 155mm Saudi howitzer with the telltale sea-foam green white phosphorus rounds nearby ready to be loaded and fired. …

The picture reviewed by the U.S. official was first posted in November 2015 on a Saudi Instagram account and shows the shell with the words “Martyr Jamil Hadi” written on it. The only company with the rights to sell to the U.S. government the white phosphorus round pictured in the image is General Dynamics Ordnance Tactical Systems, according to Marine Corps Systems Command documents