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You realize she would already have us at (more of a) war in Syria right?
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In Iraq, the U.S.-led coalition has admitted — for the first time — to using white phosphorous during operations in the Iraqi city of Mosul.
"We have utilized white phosphorous to screen areas within west Mosul to get civilians out safely," New Zealand Brig. Gen. Hugh McAslan tells NPR. He estimates that around 28,000 civilians have managed to make the dangerous crossing out of Islamic State territory in the past few days alone.
Coalition spokesmen previously have confirmed the use of the incendiary substance in less-populated areas of northern Iraq in the fight against ISIS. But this is the first confirmation that white phosphorus has been used in Mosul.
McAslan says Iraqi forces backed by the coalition have retaken almost 90 percent of western Mosul — the last holdout of the extremists in Iraq's second-largest city. But ISIS still controls a densely populated enclave, where the U.N. says tens of thousands of people remain and have been used as human shields.
The U.N. Human Rights Council says it has received credible reports that ISIS increasingly is targeting civilians as they try to flee, leaving more than 230 dead in recent weeks.
Human rights organizations have warned that the use of white phosphorus to produce obfuscating smoke screens carries deadly risks in an urban setting. Amnesty International says the substance can cause "horrific injuries, burning deep into the muscle and bone." The incendiary substance can reignite weeks after being deployed, causing potential harm to those fleeing or returning.
Amnesty made those warnings in a report documenting the use of white phosphorus east of Mosul in 2016. At the time, it said that the use of the substance in the vicinity of population centers "constitutes an indiscriminate attack and can be a war crime."
White phosphorus, which bursts into flame when it hits oxygen, is not banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention, but its legality is linked to its use. In 2005, the CWC spokesman Peter Kaiser told the BBC that white phosphorus is permitted in war if used to camouflage movement, but not if it is employed as a weapon.
The U.S. military has admitted using white phosphorous in the 2004 battle for Fallujah in Iraq, and in Afghanistan in 2009. Israel used it in the 2008 Gaza war, but said in 2013 that it would stop.
The coalition admission comes amid fresh allegations that white phosphorus also is being deployed in the fight for Raqqa, Syria. There, the U.S. is backing an alliance of Kurdish and Arab partner forces to seize that city from Islamic State control. Those forces have made gains in recent days, pushing into the city for the first time since the campaign began.
In recent days, the ISIS-affiliated media outlet Amaq released a video purporting to show white phosphorous raining down on Raqqa by night. Amnesty International says it has not yet been able to verify the Amaq footage, but is urging U.S.-led forces to refrain from using white phosphorus in Raqqa and its surroundings, where civilians remain trapped. The rights group says the risk to civilians is "unacceptably" high, and could potentially count as a war crime.
The Amaq video prompted rare unity in condemnation from both supporters and opponents of Syria's regime. One supporter tells NPR that contacts inside Raqqa are desperate for leaflets from the coalition telling them where to shelter amid the bombing campaign.
Source
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Oh shit.
Police are investigating a shooting at a congressional baseball practice session in Virginia.
Steve Scalise, the Republican House majority whip, and at least four others have been shot, Alabama congressman Mo Brooks told CNN.
The extent of Scalise’s injuries are unknown.
Other lawmakers at the gathering in Alexandria are now secure, Brooks told CNN.
Alexandria police said the suspect was believed to be in custody.
Source
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Hope everyone makes it.
I have to ask tho, chances Trump tweets about gun control again? "If the congressmen had guns...!"
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Even if they had, would they wear it during baseball practice?
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If anything, I expect the point will be something like "this was only stopped by a gun, we need good guys with guns" when it seems to have been stopped by Congressional bodyguards, who aren't exactly the target of liberal gun control policies.
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On June 14 2017 21:39 Artisreal wrote:
Even if they had, would they wear it during baseball practice?
When you consider the psychological attachment and reliance a lot of these people have with their guns, I would expect they even bring it in the shower with them.
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I suspect it won't be the last time something like this happens. Hopefully everyone survives.
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as heartless as it is, i can't help but wonder if he'll change his mind on gun control.
scalise, i mean. one of the victims.
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EDIT: crms got it. Glad to see one party doing something about Trump Inc's conflicts of interest.
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crms posted about that on the last page.
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This is exactly why every previous president has divested their interests. Even if there is no intent to seek bribes or favors, other governments and foreign groups will try. And there is the unfair advantage issue as well. Those lawsuits will never stop.
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Canada11439 Posts
On June 14 2017 22:06 brian wrote:
as heartless as it is, i can't help but wonder if he'll change his mind on gun control.
scalise, i mean. one of the victims.
Depends what sort of gun it was. I'm reading semi-automatic and also rifle, if it's not too different from a hunting rifle, it's likely this incident has something for every side to go "see, see." It's the police that took him out, not the security guards because it was handguns vs some sort of rifle. But that's sort of argument will go both ways: congressmen not armed enough or high magazine rifles are dangerous. Take you pick, both will be argued.
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On June 14 2017 23:07 Falling wrote:Show nested quote +On June 14 2017 22:06 brian wrote:
as heartless as it is, i can't help but wonder if he'll change his mind on gun control.
scalise, i mean. one of the victims. Depends what sort of gun it was. I'm reading semi-automatic and also rifle, if it's not too different from a hunting rifle, it's likely this incident has something for every side to go "see, see." It's the police that took him out, not the security guards because it was handguns vs some sort of rifle. But that's sort of argument will go both ways: congressmen not armed enough or high magazine rifles are dangerous. Take you pick, both will be argued.
True. Which is why I'm gonna skip the next 5 pages because it'll be back and forth. I think the topic should be taken up in the gun thread and keep this as clear as possible. I don't wanna skim 10 posts a page for a good discussion, while potentially missing something interesting.
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On June 14 2017 23:19 ZerOCoolSC2 wrote:Show nested quote +On June 14 2017 23:07 Falling wrote:On June 14 2017 22:06 brian wrote:
as heartless as it is, i can't help but wonder if he'll change his mind on gun control.
scalise, i mean. one of the victims. Depends what sort of gun it was. I'm reading semi-automatic and also rifle, if it's not too different from a hunting rifle, it's likely this incident has something for every side to go "see, see." It's the police that took him out, not the security guards because it was handguns vs some sort of rifle. But that's sort of argument will go both ways: congressmen not armed enough or high magazine rifles are dangerous. Take you pick, both will be argued. True. Which is why I'm gonna skip the next 5 pages because it'll be back and forth. I think the topic should be taken up in the gun thread and keep this as clear as possible. I don't wanna skim 10 posts a page for a good discussion, while potentially missing something interesting.
as an outsider i agree with both of you, i'm intrigued though from the perspective of a shooting victim how his voting will or won't change. i'll be keeping an eye out on the next gun control measure for sure.
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Its during negotiations so I wouldn't be surprised if it gets turned into something for mental health in the new healthcare bill. Doubt it'll actually turn into anything regardless but thats what I'm betting it'll turn into.
Gun control didn't happen when the representative was killed I don't think it'll happen when they were injured.
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I’m straight up nervous about how Trump’s crew will spin this. They could really ratchet up the tension if they say “look it was a democrat”.
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On June 15 2017 00:04 Plansix wrote:
I’m straight up nervous about how Trump’s crew will spin this. They could really ratchet up the tension if they say “look it was a democrat”.
Suspect was identified (James Hodgkinson), but still no motive. My guess is that you are right on the money here. There was a similar practice for the baseball game going on for the democratic team at a different field, and no attack there....
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On June 15 2017 00:04 Plansix wrote:
I’m straight up nervous about how Trump’s crew will spin this. They could really ratchet up the tension if they say “look it was a democrat”.
Funny you mention that:
The gunman who opened fire this morning on Republican congressmen and staffers recently declared in a Facebook post that, “It’s Time to Destroy Trump & Co.”
The accused shooter, James T. Hodgkinson, 66, posted a link to a Change.org petition in late March that included the notation that, “Trump is a Traitor. Trump Has Destroyed Our Democracy. It's Time to Destroy Trump & Co.”
Hodgkinson’s Facebook page includes numerous photos of Senator Bernie Sanders, whom Hodgkinson appears to have supported during the 2016 Democratic presidential primary. In posts last August, Hodgkinson wrote, “I want Bernie to Win the White House” and “Bernie is a Progressive, while Hillary is Republican Lite.”
Hodgkinson, a Belleville, Illinois resident, has worked as a home inspector.
Source.
I can't really say that I am surprised given what the media has been pumping into the American public since Trump's election. I'm sure that a disturbingly large number of Americans actually believe that Trump is a traitor despite having zero basis to believe so.
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EPT
