Kiev's War Without Mercy

Kiev's War Without Mercy

by Stephen Lendman

Washington bears full responsibility for Ukrainian crisis conditions. Rogue EU states share it.

Supporting and encouraging Kiev's war on its own people. Premeditated naked aggression. Without mercy.

Committing high crimes against peace. Using banned terror weapons. Targeting civilian neighborhoods.

Donbas freedom fighters reported "irrefutable evidence" of a weapon used similar to white phosphorous.

It burns flesh to the bone. Keeps burning until entirely consumed or deprived of oxygen.

The Hague and Geneva Conventions categorically prohibit chemical warfare. Including toxic agents.

Evidence shows Kiev used unidentified poison gas. Causing first-degree chemical-inflicted eye burns, alcoholic-like intoxication, bodily lacerations and fainting.

Media scoundrels say nothing. Ignore what demands headlines. Including banned cluster bombs munitions use.

In Donetsk and Lugansk civilian neighborhoods. Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported them, saying:

"Ukrainian government forces used cluster munitions in populated areas in Donetsk city in early October 2014…"

"The use of cluster munitions in populated areas violates the laws of war due to the indiscriminate nature of the weapon and may amount to war crimes."

"During a week-long investigation in eastern Ukraine, Human Rights Watch documented widespread use of cluster munitions in fighting between government forces and pro-Russian rebels in more than a dozen urban and rural locations."

"(E)vidence points to Ukrainian government forces’ responsibility for several cluster munition attacks on Donetsk."

HRW found evidence of surface-fired 220mm Uragan (Hurricane) and 300mm Smerch (Tornado) cluster munition rockets.

Kiev ignored requests for information regarding their use. Cluster bombs use on civilians is prohibited. High crimes against peace.

Demanding accountability. Rogue states operate this way. Kiev putschists wage no-holds-barred war. After committing to peaceful conflict resolution.

Russia's human rights commissioner Konstantin Dolgov said cluster bombs use reveals the 'real nature' of Kiev's military campaign in Donbas.

"This is one more alarming sign that deserves most serious attention," he stressed.

"(F)urther evidence of the real nature of a punitive Kiev operation that has deliberately claimed many civilians' lives."

What's ongoing raises "serious questions," he added.

"We proceed from the unchanged position that we will be backed not only by inter-governmental organisations such as the United Nations, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Council of Europe, but also by human rights activists that thorough investigation of crimes against civilians and violations of supremacy of law principles is needed, with punishment for the guilty."

Indiscriminate shelling continues. Donbas residents say it never stopped.

Reuters reported "loud explosions from heavy artillery fire…(A)lmost daily around the strategically important Donetsk airport."

Despite agreed on ceasefire terms, Kiev shelling intensified. At the same time, Ukraine wrongfully accused Russia of supplying soldiers and weapons to Donbas freedom fighters.

No evidence whatever corroborates it. Similar past claims proved false. Big Lies persist.  Media scoundrels regurgitate them irresponsibly.

Chances for durable peace are virtually zero. Full-scale conflict could resume any time. With full US support and encouragement.

On November 11, HRW reported incendiary weapons used in Ukraine. Calling them "exceptionally cruel…"

"(H)ighlighting the urgent need to take steps to prevent the civilian suffering they cause."

Urging the (a)dopt(ion) (of a) broader, effects-based definition of incendiary weapons that encompasses multipurpose munitions with incendiary effects, such as those containing white phosphorus."

"Prohibiting the use of all incendiary weapons in civilian areas, regardless of whether they are air dropped or surface launched."

"Incendiary weapons produce heat and fire through the chemical reaction of a flammable substance," said HRW.

Designed to burn people or material. Some penetrate plate metal. Others produce smokescreens or provide illumination.

Causing "exceptionally painful thermal and respiratory
burns, which can lead to complications such as shock, infection, and asphyxiation," said HRW.

"Victims who survive their wounds often suffer long-term physical and psychological damage."

Incendiary weapons burn at very high temperatures. Victims feel excruciating pain on contact. Burns are hard to treat. Slow to heal.

Recovery takes weeks or months. Many victims die. From noxious gas emissions. Survivors are permanently physically and emotionally scared.

Hot gas/combustion materials inhalation cause respiratory burns. Pulmonary complications. Pneumonia. Accumulation of fluid in lungs.

Some victims choke. Unable to breathe because of lung damage. Vulnerable to serious infections. From respiratory tract damage.

Thick scarring causes loss of mobility. Drug treatment for pain results in dependency. Withdrawal symptoms.  

HRW called new evidence of incendiary weapons use in Ukraine "especially troubling."

Self-defense forces "clear(ed) unexploded ordnance…white phosphorus rounds in the course of its work cleaning up an area that had been a battlefield."

"An outright prohibition on the use of incendiary weapons would offer the strongest protection for civilians and soldiers alike."

Their harmful effects are horrific. Devastating. Demanding user countries be held fully accountable.

"(E)ssential to minimiz(e) the suffering from such indiscriminate and exceptionally cruel weapons," said HRW.

On November 8, Sergey Lavrov commented on Ukraine. Following his meeting with John Kerry.

"Russia and the United States have different views on developments in Ukraine and their causes," he said. "(F)or obvious reasons," he added.

"(I)f Washington showed interest in promoting conciliation and creating conditions for dialogue between Kiev and the leaders of the Lugansk and Donetsk people’s republics, it would be a step in the right direction."

"The main thing that should be avoided is condoning some ideas voiced in Kiev, in particular on building up military strength before resuming hostilities to resolve the crisis."

"On the contrary, we should discourage the more extreme parties who entertain these ideas and instead convince the Kiev authorities to honour their obligations, in particular, on a political settlement of the crisis."

"For its part, Russia will do its best in relations with the self-defence forces and Kiev to ensure that this comes about."

US-led NATO's 212-day proxy war in Ukraine continues. Deaths and injuries mount. Horrific human suffering persists.

September Minsk protocol ceasefire terms don't matter. Kiev's war without mercy continues. Tripling military spending is planned.

Oligarch/illegitimate president Petro Poroshenko announced National Security and Defense Council policy. Despite Ukraine’s bankrupt economy. War-making persists.

On November 10, Stop NATO reported "Article 5 ' High Intensity Combat' Drills Throughout Europe." Exercise "TRIDENT JUNCTURE."

From November 8 through November 17. Testing "NATO’s ability to coordinate and execute a NATO-led Article 5 Collective Defence operation in a multinational environment."

Certifying "the 15th rotation of the NATO Response Force (NRF) under high-intensity, war fighting conditions."

Provocatively targeting Russia. One of many examples of risked East/West confrontation.

A new European Leadership Network (ELN) think tank report documented at least 40 "near misses." Potential military conflict between US-led NATO and Russian forces.

In an environment of "mistrust, fear and shortened leadership decision times…" Characterized by "a volatile stand-off between" nuclear armed forces.

Perpetuating the "reality" of extremely "risky" conditions. "At worst (potentially) catastrophic."

Because of US-led NATO's reckless imperial policies. Miscommunications make the unthinkable possible.

Washington bears full responsibility. Rogue NATO partners share it. Anything goes is official policy. Risking the worst of all possible outcomes.

US National Security Strategy (NSS) calls for using nuclear weapons preemptively. Including against non-nuclearized states.

Joint Nuclear Operations doctrine remains unchanged. No distinction between defensive and offensive deterrents exists.

America's land and sea-based strategic bombers, land-based missiles, and ballistic missile submarines target potential  threats.

None exist. America's only enemies are ones it invents. To advance its imperium. Risking the unthinkable.

Neocon extremists infest Washington. Lunatics. Supporting permanent wars. Official US policy.

Obama the latest in a long line of warrior presidents. A war criminal multiple times over.

Escalating things dangerously. Challenging Russia and China irresponsibly. Risking confrontation.

Cold War 2.0 rages. Inventing enemies when none exist. Big Lies substitute for hard truths.

Going all-out to avoid peaceful conflict resolution. Using NATO as a dagger at humanity's heart. Waging one war after another. Provocatively risking others.

Business as usual persists. World peace hangs by a thread. America is humanity's greatest threat.

Stopping its killing machine matters most. Survival depends on it.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen [at] sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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