Indiscriminate Warfare: Gadhafi Forces Cluster Bomb Civilian Regions
- Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:10pm by
Emily Esfahani Smith
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The New York Times is reporting today that Muammar Gadhafi’s forces have been firing into residential neighborhoods of the Libyan city of Misurata with weapons such as cluster bombs and ground-to-ground rockets. (Yesterday, The Blaze reported on a Boston Globe op-ed that was written by an expert who questioned whether Gadhafi’s forces were actually targeting civilians. As more details emerge, perhaps that opinion needs reconsideration).
Cluster bombs, the Times notes, have been banned by “much the world.”
Such “indiscriminate” weapons, which strike large areas with a dense succession of high-explosive munitions, by their nature cannot be fired precisely, and when fired into populated areas place civilians at grave risk.
According the the Times, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she was “not aware” of these cluster bomb attacks on Misurata civilians. But, she added, “I’m not surprised by anything that Colonel Qadaffi and his forces do.”
Human Rights Watch also confirmed the use of these deadly munitions:
Human Rights Watch observed at least three cluster munitions explode over the el-Shawahda neighborhood in Misrata on the night of April 14, 2011. Researchers inspected the remnants of a cluster submunition and interviewed witnesses to two other apparent cluster munition strikes.
The New York Times has more details about the cluster bombs. They appear to be “120-millimeter mortar rounds“ which explode over the city ”scattering high-explosive bomblets below.”
Remnants of expended shells, examined and photographed by The New York Times, show the rounds to be MAT-120 cargo mortar projectiles, each of which carries and distributes 21 smaller submunitions designed both to kill people and penetrate light armor.
Here is the mentioned photograph:
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Comments (69)
wbaranowski
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 9:08pmIt looks like an energy shot.
Report Post »HellPhish89
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 8:33pmCluster bombs are a legitimate weapon of war. great for taking out infantry formations, destroying air fields, equipment and other formations on the ground. we refused to sign the treaty banning them because of this.
the thing is, k daffy is fighting a rebel force, we consider them “civilians”… which they arent. we are being sucked into another nation building war. one that has absolutely no value to us in any way.
Report Post »headbtweenlegs
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 7:41pmWho do you think you are.? Do think we are stupid.?
Report Post »Slowman101
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 6:35pm@ozchambers You may be right. The photo does look like it may be possibly photoshopped. I noticed the hand has a shadow, the bomblet does not, and the bpmblet look like it is “floating” over the background surface. Just doesn’t look right.
Report Post »quicker
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 6:32pmObama is trying to get all our military oversea`s so when he trys with his union help to take over this contry he won`t have to face the military here.
Report Post »mrclean
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 8:15pmA truer word was never spoken.
I’d like to see our soldiers hop on a plane en masse and fly home right now. If enough of them do it, well, at this point who knows maybe there’d be no court martial since our country will soon be history. Seriously, let’s work to get them home.
We gotta get them home asap.
Report Post »TTown
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 6:28pmObvious photoshop!! Anyone remember “Wag the Dog”?
Report Post »v12tommy
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 6:21pmLet them fight it out. The US doesn’t need to be involved right now. They can shoot at each other all they want and then we can go in and pick up the pieces.
Report Post »BernardNW
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 5:31pmWhat a twisted world we live. Mr. Qaddafi‘s new military action to use cluster bombs on these protesters is as bad as Beijing’s regular brutal actions against any demonstrations, protestations or the call for autonomy in some of her provinces.
In addition it is hard to tell who really is the “bad guy” in Libya; the oppressive Dictator we know or the oppressive radical Muslim fighting for an anti US Theocracy of which we do not have an idea what they would do once they oust Qaddafi and take the reigns of power. We already have a hint in Egypt as the radical Islamic element is emerging in that nation after the protesters ousted Mubarak.
I believe the world is heading into a kind of “dark age” as radicalism sweeps across the Muslim world and nationalism sweeps across the non Muslim world, especially in Europe. When these two movements clash we will finally see what hell really looks like.
Report Post »104thTimberwolves
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 5:19pmPhoto is fake. photoshopped? Is that Obama’s hand in the photo?
Report Post »Two Party Scam
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 5:15pmBush Invades Oil Rich Country 2004
Obama Invades Oil Rich Country 2011
‘Progressive’ Georgetown-Harvard Jesuits have taught them well.
More fuel for their communist ‘New World Order.’
Report Post »Rayblue
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 5:06pmN.Y. Times “reporting” is like Rolling Stone “raving”.
Report Post »Write anything to sell the propagandist agenda.
Quaddaffi is a new type of problem for the dictator appeasing frauds in charge.
Rillobymorning
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:59pmWe all know Obama’s only reason to go into Libya was to open the door to the Moooslim Bro-hood there. Even as we write, Russia is aiding Iran in becoming nuclear and does he care? No. His agenda continues.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:57pmNice work Obama, that’s the way to protect innocent civilians.
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:43pmANYONE GO WATCH ATLAS SHRUGGED TODAY???????????
IT WAS GREAT………….NOW GO SEE IT
( required lower case )
Report Post »Non-sequitur
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 5:13pmYeah, a movie based on the book of a welfare recipient telling you how people should never rely on other people.
Because the only moral welfare is my welfare etc etc
Report Post »HippoNips
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:41pmThat photo is an obvious fake. The NYT’s has another photo next to a lighter which is also a fake
Report Post »hidden_lion
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:35pmThe submunition designation and lot number are printed in english….hmmmm They report this after somebody reported no direct targeting of civilians…..hmmm…..To quote Obama…”Do you think we are stupid?”
Report Post »Tickdog
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:35pmTo be honest, i could care less about those people.. they have been fighting amongst themselves for thousands of years..why is now any different… I would rather focus or time and money on our border since we have that pouring in here too…
Report Post »thegreatcarnac
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:32pmI hate Gadhafi…I remember his ways and his Anit-Americanism in the past and what he has been doing in secret lately….However…I don’t believe he is using cluster bombs on civilians purposesly; and if he is….I could care less. Someone wants more American troops on the ground in another theater and I am against another induction of our fighting men and women in quicksand. Obama wants it so he can bankrupt this country. NO…we will not bite this time.
Report Post »EP46
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 6:35pmI agree with you…but I have believed all along that it is the Muslim Brotherhood and other foreigners who are doing these things making it look like it is Gadhafi…same as it was in Egypt when Mubarak said there were foreigners attacking the people. We are not to fall for this …the same group of people are behind all these uprisings and if they cannot bring down Gadhafi they will make it look like he is killing civilians to get more Americans involved. NO…do not kill Americans over this and do not let obama spend money because he is mad that he can‘t give it to his ’other friends’ so he will spend it on WAR.
Report Post »mrclean
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 8:10pmGET obama THE HE!! OUT OF DC! He is killing our country and won‘t stop until it’s complete.
Report Post »HippoNips
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:30pmAs prophesied, the NYT‘s attempts to justify Obama’s irrational unjustified attack on Libya.
When did NYTs journalist become experts on bombs?
Report Post »They haven’t. They are experts at making things up
sickdog
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:28pmThat photo of the submunition looks fake to me. Where are the shadows, and why does it appear to be clearer than the rest of the picture? Maybe it’s just me…
Report Post »Insipid
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 6:51pmI agree, it looks as if an 8th grader photoshopped the pic.
Report Post »Eblaze44
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:26pmIt is terrifically funny. Americans and the rest of the world think that war is just between soldiers – and it might be if you want to lose. War to win means that there is “collateral” damage, you beat the crap out of the whole enemy, not just the combatants. That’s how you win and why the US has not won a war since WWII. We bombed the hell out of Germany and brought it to its knees. We bombed the hell out of Japan and brought them to their knees. then we fought soldiers in Korea and lost, we fought soldiers in Viet Nam and lost. We fought soldiers in Iraq and beat their Army and lost the war to the country, we are losing in Afghanistan because we are too scared to FIGHT all of the people and win.
Report Post »chfields62
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:54pmVery well said!!
Report Post »Non-sequitur
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 5:09pmThe US army never killed civilians indiscriminately. You‘re deluding yourself if you think that’s how you win wars. All you would do is turn the favor of the world against you.
Report Post »Hawt'n'secksie
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 5:37pmI agree non- sequitur. I am loving how well respected and revered America is around the world since we’ve been fighting a war like a hug-a-thon in Iraq/afghanistan. The world is brimming with love for us! To bad we didn’t just have hug sessions in Nagasaki and Hiroshima, instead of dropping nukes. Hugs are so much more fun than mushroom clouds, and we would have so many more BFFs!! Xoxoxoxoxox <3
Report Post »VanGrungy
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 7:35pmAll you would do is turn the favor of the world against you.
===========================================
Who are you talking about? The world? What does that mean? The favor?
Let me Ask you one more thing… Do you think ChiCom gives a crap what the rest of the world really thinks of their suppression of individualism in China?
If the favor of the ‘world’ turns against us for winning, was the ‘world’ ever favoring us in the first place?
Report Post »showmerancher
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 7:40pmHey, Non-sequitur… “The US army never killed civilians indiscriminately.” How about the Army Air Corps? There are/were a couple of folks in Germany that underwent our non-precision carpet bombing there that might have a slight disagreement with you, as would some folks from Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Were you born yesterday? And there are much more recent examples…
War is, or should always be a last resort. When you must resort to it, the point is to win, and win at all costs. You can‘t go into it saying that you’ll only go ‘this far’, and if that fails, you’ll surrender and go home. (Which is what we did in Vietnam, Somalia, etc.) It’s you or them. It is NOT moral. You’re in a foxhole about to be overrun… you have no ammunition left, only a nerve-gas grenade. Do you say you’d just lay there and be killed because it is an illegal weapon? I surely wouldn’t go to war with you.
War is all out. You go, you kill, you rape, you maim, you plunder, you devastate, you take no prisoners, you win, you take the spoils, you leave. Collateral damage? Too bad… you shouldn’t have provoked us. You’ll learn! In real war, there is only one rule: Win. Anyone that thinks that I’ll lose/die because of what the rest of the world THINKS is insane.
When it is clear that this is your philosophy, few if any will provoke you. Assured destruction. There is NO better deterrent.
But that’s why America is weak. The enemy lops off a few heads on video, and the American people cower and turn anti-war. That’s when we lost Iraq and had to send more troops… Drag a couple of our guys through the streets and America cowers. We lost Somalia and ran with our tails between our legs. The world knows it. It isn’t the brave soldiers, it’s the American people that lose our wars for us. Our enemies know that. Even the Mexican drug cartels know that. We could have won Vietnam. We could have won both Iraq and Afghanistan years ago if the American people had stayed out of it and let the warriors do what they do; unrestricted by “political correctness” Political Correctness kills our own.
The military today is “PC” because of the American people. Did you ever wonder why there were tens of thousands of “contractors” in Iraq? In Afghanistan? Just asking.
On that subject, these Socialist Democrats (like Bryan Becker for instance… see video on this site), that go calling for a “violent revolution”, should think upon these things before they open their mouths… and certainly before they act. Not everyone in America is a sheep that is deterred by ‘violence’ or the threat of it.
Report Post »mrclean
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 8:06pmWell said EBLAZE and SHOWMERANCHER.
Is the Rancher from MO……
Report Post »oifvetforreason
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 3:15amNo. No. No. U.S. military personnel are required to follow Geneva Conventions rules. Maybe you don’t like those rules. I can tell you who does. The leaders of our military. Do you think they don’t know what they are talking about, either?
Report Post »FLyoverman
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:18pmThe Lybians are learning how Democrats “fight wars.” All they needed to do was ask the Laotians, Cambodians, South Vietnamese, Contras, Iraqis, etc. etc. etc. Never have a Democrat on your flank.
Report Post »threecats407
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:16pmLet the savages kill each other. I have no clue who these rebels are and for all I know this batch of rag tag sand rats may be worse than what is in power! Between inbreeding and killing one another who could hope for more plus they will have less time to screw with outsiders.
Report Post »Eblaze44
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:15pmI wonder when we go to throw Obama off his throne we will be treated the same?
Report Post »chips1
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:35pmI would say yes. That’s what muslims do best.
Report Post »BetterDays
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:48pmAnd how.
Report Post »I’ve read the plan, it’s all down on paper right in front of our faces.
Read through the last four presidents executive orders, and then cry.
Oh and throw in rex 84, Rex 51, and UN agenda 21 for good measure.
Bing them, seriously bing them.
Smitty1969
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 8:58pmI had seen a video clip of cluster bomb’s on Fox News a month ago, Hillary said she didn’t know? It was a home video with the audio of a child screaming and a distraught mother, obviously the one filming the attack a mile or two away. I served in the Marines and they are EASY to identify.
Report Post »Johnnyp1958
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:14pmMore lies from the NY Times, say anything just so we can send in boot on the ground and justify this false attack.
Report Post »Eblaze44
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:22pmOh, I‘m sure it’s the truth. But what would you expect – what do yo expect if you tried to overthrow this gone to hell in a handbasket administration we now have. They are already working hard to enslave the people and your children and grandchildren, do yo think they would stop at blowing up your neighbors or trashing looting businesses.
Report Post »NSDQ
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:27pmI’m sorry but these headlines of him “Firing on innocent civilians” makes no sense at all! Shooting grandma and kindergartners does NOT give him a strategic advantage over the insurgents (yeah I said it INSURGENTS Muslim Bro. Hood + Al Qaeda = Insurgents not, Democracy craving capitalist freedom loving Rebels). Seems all spin to me.
Report Post »Okie from Muskogee
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:33pmHow dumb are we!?
Cluster bombs are being used by Ghadafi…..Where did he get these cluster bombs?
We use/used cluster bombs in Afghanistan and in Iraq…..We also made a secret deal with Britain behind the Brits Parliament back to continue shipping those munitions from British territory in which it was banned. US cables show just that…..
Does this make sense, Ghaddafi is horrible and wrong for using “cluster bombs” and we need to force him out. Yet it is ok for the US to use cluster bombs against those we see fit and disagree with…..
How stupid are we seriously…..
Report Post »ozchambers
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:33pmDoes that photo look “shopped”?
Report Post »Hawt'n'secksie
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:36pm@ Exdem.
Report Post »Hands off. Ed Schultz already has dibs on that secksie man candy they call Ghaddafi. They are planning a pickle tickle slumber party some time in May…maybe you could e-mail Ed and see if there’s room for one more in the tent.
Hungry_i
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:58pm“More lies from the NY Times, say anything just so we can send in boot on the ground and justify this false attack.”
But the NYT is the newspaper of record! /sarcasm
Report Post »VRW Conspirator
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 5:07pmtrue or not… I DON”T CARE!! It is not OUR problem..this is a tribal civil war and we should STAY out of it…
let him blow up his own citizens..it is a WAR….they are in an enemy controlled city…where the enemy is hiding in their homes…they deserve what they get….i don’t care about being PC or UN certified or compliant or not hurting your feelings for the people who only want democracy…yeah right… these IDIOTs want an ISLAMIC Caliphate installed…
i don’t care how many of them die killing each other off fighting about some country not MINE!! I care more about the Marxist revolutionary we have in our WH and how to get his butt kicked out…. once we get that done, then we can fix our debt, then fix/get rid of Medicare and SS, then fix fraud and waste in government….then…then…then….
these idiots and their infighting are not even on my list of top 100 things our government needs to worry about….
Report Post »WHIITETEAPARTY
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 5:24pmSo gadafee is doing what the US/Republicans have done for years. Killing innocent civilians. Except know their continueing the fight on the homefront, against their own citizens.
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 5:32pmDon’t lose sight of the fact that the war in Libya is unConstitutional!
Obama did not get Congress’ approval, and they were not threatening our land. Not only that, but the Libyan rebels are partly comprised of those who want to kill us and who fought us in Iraq.
Report Post »mill
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 5:55pmEXDEM …they’re talking about Gadhafi the man, not his dog….
if we put boots on the ground there will be hell to pay.
Report Post »heyjim55
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 5:58pmJOHNNYP1958
Report Post »You are 100% correct they are lying to us that is what they (the Government since 2001) been doing to us in all of these entanglements. Remember weapons of mass destruction ? now they are using human rights watch our Government have a whole lot of them on the payroll. Our President like the last one is committing a crime by starting this war. All the while they are arguing over at home on what to cut because the country is going broke get ready for Yemen that is next and then possibly Siria and Lebanon.
VegasGuy
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 6:26pmTake it from someone who uses Photoshop all the time. The photo of the hand and the cluster bomb has been Photoshopped. Very poorly. The cluster bomb does not have a shadow. It appears to “float” in the image. The hand does have a shadow.
Report Post »independentvoteril
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 6:37pmSince I will say the same thing that I said when BUSH went into IRAQ.. we shouldn’t be there.. END OF STORY…
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 6:54pmQuestion:
‘Cluster BOMBS’ implies airplanes dropping said bombs – and there is a dedicated ‘no fly zone’ so which part is correct?
A. There are planes of Quaddafi making such attacks and not being stopped by Nato.
B. There are no cluster bombs being dropped.
Ms Clinton which is it or is it…
C. The administration is lying like normal.
Report Post »handsmcml
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 7:28pmThe trouble with the Times is that they mix truth and fiction. Too often, we cannot tell the difference.
Report Post »Okie from Muskogee
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 7:37pm@SNOW
There are mortar cluster munitions that are not dropped by planes…
The picture is suspect though…No shadow for the bomblet…
Either way, the solution given will be to sale the Rebels cluster bombs! Ha!
Report Post »mrclean
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 7:58pm@OZCHAMBERS
Yeah, the photo looks shopped.
Report Post »jzs
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 10:06pmDoctor’sLabor, I’m not saying I disagree with you, but I do want to give you a little perspective.
Congress hasn’t declared war since WWII, but the US has had plenty of armed conflicts since then.
Article One, Section Eight of the Constitution says “Congress shall have power to … declare War”. I think that’s what you are referring to. Okay as far as that goes, but the Constitutional issues aren’t nearly as clear as you may think.
From Wiki: American Presidents often have not sought formal declarations of war, instead maintaining that they have the constitutional authority, as commander in chief (Article Two, Section Two) to use the military for “police actions”. According to historian Thomas Woods, “Ever since the Korean War, Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution — which refers to the president as the ‘Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States’ — has been interpreted to mean that the president may act with an essentially free hand in foreign affairs, or at the very least that he may send men into battle without consulting Congress.”
I’m not saying I agree with that, but the fact is that the United States hasn’t “declared war” since WWII. And you may have heard of US military conflicts since WWII where there was no declaration of war by Congress: you know, the Korean War, Vietnam, Bosnia, the Gulf Wars, Afghanistan and so on. If Obama has acted unconstitutionally, so has every other President for the last 65 years.
For a complete list of wars not declared by Congress, visit this link:
Report Post »http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_war_by_the_United_States
warrior21
Posted on April 16, 2011 at 4:35amSo who really cares? This is a civil war between Qaddafi and the rebel forces trying to take over the country. Either side is going to use whatever means -weapons- is necessary to win. It is not our war and we are wrong in getting involved. Had we stayed out it would be over now.
Is BO trying to apply his “Rules of Engagement” in Libya? Let Europe fight its own war for oil. They want us to provide more help. Funny, that the European countries who lecture us on getting involved in Iraq are now gung-ho to get involved in Libya. The shoe is on the other foot.
Report Post »Alvin691
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 11:39amJohnny, that is exactly what I was thinking. The NYT has lost their credibility, and have been save-haven for propoganda in the past.
Report Post »slimster
Posted on April 18, 2011 at 12:23amWhich is worse, the cluster bombs he is using or the depleted uranium ones NATO is using?
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