US Cruise Missile Parts (With Cluster Bombs) Found in Yemeni Village Where 52 Died

[tekisui]

Source: The Independent

A US cruise missile armed with cluster ammunition was used in an attack in Yemen in December which resulted in the deaths of 52 people, more than half of them women and children, according to a human rights watchdog.

The Yemeni government insisted their forces alone carried out the strike on an al-Qa'ida training camp in the Abyan region. US authorities backed the claim that insurgents had been attacked but officially denied direct involvement in the attack.

However, Amnesty International has now released photographs of missile parts from the attack which appear to show that it was a BGM-109D Tomahawk cruise missile designed to be launched from a warship or submarine. Further images reveal BLU 97 A/B cluster munitions which spray steel fragments for 150 meters along with burning zirconium for igniting buildings. The Yemeni government does not possess cruise missiles, which are part of the arsenal of US Navy vessels patrolling off the Horn of Africa and in the Arabian Sea.

The Convention on Cluster Munitions has been signed by 106 states and ratified by 35. However, neither the US or Yemen are signatories. Weapons analysts point out that bomblets have maimed and killed civilians who have found them.

more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/us-cruise-missile-parts-found-in-yemeni-village-where-52-died-1993253.html

[Mira]

1. Recommended N/T

[donco6]

2. Well, hey, we didn't sign anything, so I guess it's OK.

Right?

:sarcasm: for the sarcasm-impaired.

[gratuitous]

3. Reported in the UK

Will stateside media dare touch this? Mustn't bite the military hand that feeds them so lavishly.

[G_j]

15. no way

[Hempathy]

4. Are we a great country, or what...?

remember- that was done in all of our names.

feel safer?

[indepat]

22. Enough to make one wonder if this operation would have done Cheney proud.

Had this been 52 dead American home-folk, mostly women and children, one would wonder if the a plethora of shrill voices be calling it a terrorist act, an act of war. :shrug:

[WCGreen]

5. I am so proud to be an American....

I just am giddy with love for my country.

[Kringle]

6. the Russians also have cruise missiles .nt

[Richard Steele]

7. Oh? Do they have BGM-109D Tomahawk cruise missiles? PFFT. Misdirection FAIL.

nm

[Kringle]

8. the Russians also have spray paint

and can paint the missile
any way they want

[tammywammy]

10. The parts are labeled

Take off the tinfoil the Russians didn't do this. :eyes:

[Kringle]

11. the pieces could have been moved from anywhere ,nt

[tammywammy]

12. Sure, I guess someone could have moved them.

Before taking a picture. But that doesn't mean it was a Russian missile painted to look like an American one.

[Forkboy]

19. Give it up.

[defendandprotect]

9. k

[MadHound]

13. Hey, the Iraq war is winding down,

Gotta find some way to keep the MIC fed and well cared for.

[pokerfan]

14. BBC

Obama congratulates

US President Barack Obama telephoned his Yemeni counterpart, President Ali Abdullah Saleh, to offer his congratulations.

But Amnesty now says the US in fact supported the raid with cruise missiles.

"A military strike of this kind against alleged militants without an attempt to detain them is at the very least unlawful," said Amnesty's Philip Luther.

"The fact that so many of the victims were actually women and children indicates that the attack was in fact grossly irresponsible, particularly given the likely use of cluster munitions."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/middle_east/10251954.stm

[G_j]

16. many have been trying to outlaw cluster bombs

without the US, it's fruitless, same with land-mines.

[Forkboy]

20. Obama was against land mines and cluster munitions...before he was for them.

[Bonobo]

17. Sure puts Israel into perspective doesn't it.

As disgusting as their response to the Gaze blockade is, it pales in comparison to the United States.

At least Israel can rightly claim to be trying to prevent weapons going to a terrorist regime located within short rocket range from their people. They legitimately can claim to be trying to protect themselves from people that have been firing rockets at them and their citizens.

The US, on the other hand, is protecting no one. In fact, they are putting US citizens at risk for the next thousand years with their in-your-face disregard for civilian life.

The bravery of being out of range, god bless the USA.

And we do it several times a week.

[Echo In Light]

18. K/R

[Octafish]

21. Winning hearts and minds.

One part at a time.

Hey, Obama! Wake up, already.