Bombs in Iraq

Sarah Meyer, Index Research

9 November 2005

The earlier pre-mixed 'napalm' bomb utilized benzene, gasoline and polystyrene. The Pentagon destroyed its stockpile of napalm canisters, which had been stored near Camp Pendleton at the Fallbrook Naval Weapons Station, in April 2001.

Following is my understanding of the present MK77 - mod 5 bomb. Hundreds of partially loaded MK77 - mod 5 firebombs were stored on pre-positioned ammunition ships overseas. Those ships were unloaded in Kuwait during the weeks preceding the war. The MK77- mod 5 is shipped to the field empty, and the incendiary material is mixed up shortly before it is then dropped from a plane.

The bombs used in the early part of the Iraq war, and probably in Fallujah, were the MK77 - mod 5 bombs. The MK77 - mod 5 bombs are made from jet fuel and polystyrene. It is my understanding that no phosphorus is used in this bomb.

The question I would like to ask is:
What would be the effect of a MK77 - mod 5 bomb, loaded with jet fuel + polystyrene be on a human being? Is the resultant effect the same as if the 'old napalm', or phosphorus, was used?


For further information, see:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/mk77.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0805-01.htm


Sarah Meyer is a researcher living in Sussex, UK.
http://indexresearch.blogspot.com
email: sarahmeyer@freedom255.com

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.