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US Remains a Holdout on Cluster Bomb Treaty

by Barbara McPherson | June 23, 2009 at 10:52 am

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Human Rights Watch has reported that some signatories to the Cluster Bomb Convention banning the weapons are searching for loopholes in the wording so that they can participate in joint military operations with the US which remains a holdout, refusing to sign the Cluster Bomb Treaty. In particular Australia, Canada and the UK while signatories to the convention often hold joint operations with the US which refuses to sign the treaty.

The Convention on Cluster Munitions absolutely bans the use, production, transfer, and stockpiling of cluster munitions. These large weapons carry dozens or hundreds of smaller submunitions that endanger civilians both during attacks and afterward. The convention also requires states to destroy stockpiles of cluster munitions within eight years, clear their territory of unexploded submunitions within 10 years, and provide assistance to victims.

To date 98 countries are signatories to the convention banning cluster bombs with 10 countries ratifying the treaty. The majority of NATO countries are signatories.
Cluster bombs are particularly nasty weapons as they explode above the ground sending hundreds of miniature bomblets over a large area. A significant percentage of the bomblets remain unexploded and undetected until a non combatent accidently triggers them. Unlike a mine field, the area where the cluster bombs explode is not marked and not defined.

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amyjudd

at 11:54 on June 23rd, 2009

This is rather alarming!

albertacowpoke

at 13:29 on June 23rd, 2009

Good story Barbara. These bombs are a menace long after hostilities cease. What.s even worse is that the cluster bomb is unexploded ordnance and kids tend to play with them and they go off.

Roy C

at 13:40 on June 23rd, 2009

The refusal to sign the land mine treaty had to do with North Korea, and all the landmines deployed there to protect South Korea.

I would guess that something similar was behind any refusal to back a cluster bomb ban as well, but I would like to know the particulars.

What has been said as to the reasoning?

albertacowpoke

at 14:15 on June 23rd, 2009

Nonetheless, the treaty adopted Friday contains several concessions sought by the United States and its NATO allies, many of whom plan to sign the deal.

The pact would allow countries that sign the treaty to keep cooperating militarily with those that do not. Earlier drafts of the treaty sought to prohibit such cooperation, an idea fought by the United States and its NATO allies on the grounds this would make joint peacekeeping work difficult if not impossible.

Cluster bombs have been used in conflicts worldwide, from Vietnam to Iraq, to crush enemy forces by laying a carpet of dozens to hundreds of explosions with a single bomb, shell or rocket.

Their devastating impact on the battlefield often comes at a terrible cost to civilians afterward, including farmers who strike unexploded “bomblets” in their fields or children who mistake the objects for playthings

Paschen

at 16:53 on June 23rd, 2009

Do as I say, but not has I do has been the motto of our Super Powers and then they do wonder why so many oppose them.

We need to stop this madness and using North Korea as an excuse is rather low or even Childish, for lack of better words here.

The US have not signed on to the international court either why so far their war criminals can not be persecuted.

Some countries such as Belgium have now open the doors to persecute all war criminals regardless, the problem with that is that they can only be apprehended once they put foot on Belgian soil.

Good Post Barbara. A much needed reminder since these Bombs kill mostly Civilians and especially Children.