Afghanistan Civilian Casualties: Did the US Use White Phosphorous Last Week?

The Reuters report came through yesterday morning, five days after the mass killing of civilians (100? 120? 130? 150?) in the Farah area of western Afghanistan. According to Nader Nadery, an official with an Afghanistan human rights commission: "Doctors who had treated victims from the incident had reported strange burns they believed may have been caused by a chemical like white phosphorus."

The US military moved quickly to deny the claim, adding the implication that maybe it was the Taliban who were dropping white phosphorous from the sky. Colonel Greg Julian said, ""There was no smoke or illum (illumination) used in Farah. I can't say whether the insurgents used it, but we certainly didn't."

This incident is part of a wider, evolving story. Nadery said the human rights commission had been alerted to the possibility of white phosphorous because of a Reuters report last week of a young girl burned by the substance in Kapisa province, the first account of the use of WP. The US military countered with claims of four other incidents in which the Taliban had used mortars with white phosphorus.

The significance of this development may not be "proof" that the US military has used white phosphorous --- which can legally be dropped in open spaces, but not in built-up areas with civilians --- but the perception that it has. There were demonstrations in Kabul yesterday, led by university students, over the latest bombings.

UPDATED A Very Religious War: US Military "Hunt People for Jesus" in Afghanistan

UPDATE: Responding to Pentagon claims that it had "grossly misrepresent[ed] the truth", Al Jazeera has released extended, unedited footage from Brian Hughes recording the statements of US military in "Bible Study". The footage supports the original claim that US soldiers were advocating evangelism in Afghanistan. We've posted the video and Hughes' further comments in a separate blog.

This is the video report from Al Jazeera, compiled from footage taken by documentary maker Brian Hughes last year, that has sparked controversy over the last 48 hours:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVGmbzDLq5c[/youtube]

The most sensational call to arms comes from Lieutenant-Colonel Gary Hensley, the chief of the US military chaplains in Afghanistan, who tells soldiers that they have a responsibility "to be witnesses for" Jesus Christ:

The special forces guys - they hunt men basically. We do the same things as Christians, we hunt people for Jesus. We do, we hunt them down. Get the hound of heaven after them, so we get them into the kingdom. That's what we do, that's our business.

US commanders moved quickly to discredit the report and to limit any damage. Colonel Greg Julian claimed, "This is irresponsible and inappropriate journalism....The Bibles were taken into custody and not distributed. There is no effort to go out and proselytise to Afghans." Asked in his Monday press briefing about the incident, Admiral Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, denied any knowledge and added, "From the United States' military's perspective, it is not our position to push any specific kind of religion."

The US military is no stranger to controversy over evangelism in its wars. Lieutenant General William Boykin provoked controversy in 2003 when he bragged about hunting down an insurgent in Somalia:

He went on CNN and he laughed at us, and he said, "They'll never get me because Allah will protect me. Allah will protect me." Well, you know what? I knew that my God was bigger than his. I knew that my God was a real God and his was an idol.