Talk:United States used weapons of mass destruction in Iraq

Note: White phosphorous and napalm ordinance are more appropriately called incendiaries, rather than 'chemical weapons' as used in this article. JH

That's one opinion, JH. However, speaking from experience, weapons are categorized as NBC: nuclear ... biological ... or chemical. Incendiary is the action, not the medium. Artificial Intelligence 19:41, 8 Nov 2005 (EST)

Notwithstanding your argument, or your experience, to which I'm not privy, it's a fairly widespread opinion backed by the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention and the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, Protocol III. See also Incendiary weapons, wiki.

JH

Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction, Bureau of Arms Control, Signed January 13, 1993:


 * ARTICLE II. DEFINITIONS AND CRITERIA


 * "Chemical Weapons" means the following, together or separately:


 * (a) Toxic chemicals and their precursors, except where intended for purposes not prohibited under this Convention, as long as the types and quantities are consistent with such purposes ;


 * (b) Munitions and devices, specifically designed to cause death or other harm through the toxic properties of those toxic chemicals specified in subparagraph (a), which would be released as a result of the employment of such munitions and devices;


 * 2. "Toxic Chemical" means:


 * Any chemical which through its chemical action on life processes can cause death, temporary incapacitation or permanent harm to humans or animals. This includes all such chemicals, regardless of their origin or of their method of production, and regardless of whether they are produced in facilities, in munitions or elsewhere.

State dept response http://usinfo.state.gov/media/Archive_Index/Illegal_Weapons_in_Fallujah.html