U.S. won’t join 100 countries who want to ban cluster bombs
From Reuters/CommonDreams.org:
Cluster bombs, which nearly 100 countries are seeking to ban, should not be considered bad as long as states involved in conflicts use them responsibly, a senior United States official said on Wednesday.
The official, who declined to be identified, also told a background briefing that Washington was planning to create a “quick reaction force”, or QRF, to handle threats to civilians from remnants of war, like cluster bombs.
The official’s remarks, which could not be quoted directly, clearly confirmed that Washington — like Russia, China and some other powers — remained opposed to banning the weapon.
He spoke as negotiators on updating a 1981 international agreement on especially dangerous conventional weapons (CCW) met in Geneva to prepare for “expert discussions” on cluster weapons next year under the United Nations umbrella.
Cluster munitions include a variety of weapons that can spread up to hundreds of bomblets over a target area. Up to 30 percent fail to explode, posing a threat to civilians for many years after a conflict.
Read the rest here.
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From what little I gathered, it looks like the ban would not apply to so-called “smart” cluster bombs which have a self-destruct mechanism so there is really no excuse for opposing this ban.
Sure there is: for the U.S., all options must remain on the table. :)
Is it really suprising for a nation that claims the right to torture, to invade countries at whim, and to claim that foreigners who show up at its door step have at best a right to protection against “gross physical abuse”? Dear God, one more year of this regime…
Interesting comments at the linked site. The commenters seemed to be unable to decide which country they despise most: the US or Israel? A common quandry at hard left sites.
Why doesn’t this surprise. I have to second MM’s opinion.
Keeping the global balance…priceless. God bless Putin.
A common quandry at hard left sites.
Common Dreams a “hard left” site? Hahahah. You need to get out more, Donald.
should not be considered bad as long as states involved in conflicts use them responsibly,
“Responsibly”? There is just something very ridiculous about this statement.
Indeed.
God bless Putin.
Who also opposes the cluster bomb ban, according to the article. God bless him indeed.
Who also opposes the cluster bomb ban, according to the article. God bless him indeed.
God bless him for opposing the ban?