| Submit your comments on this article |
| Iraq |
| HRW warns about US cluster bombs in Iraq |
| 2009-12-11 |
| Human Rights Watch has warned about cluster munitions that the US military left in Iraq during the invasion of the country in 2003 and the 1991 Persian Gulf War. The rights group warned that there were over 61-thousand cluster bombs which can kill people for years to come in the country, calling on Middle East and North African countries to sign The International Treaty Banning Cluster Munitions. "Iraq has experienced first-hand the devastating effects of cluster munitions, and its government has promised never to use this weapon," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East Director of Human Rights Watch. "Civilians, often children, are the victims of cluster munitions, which to this day continue to kill and maim innocent people throughout the Middle East from conflicts long since ended," Whitson added. "Whatever excuses Middle East governments have given for not signing this treaty, Iraq's example shows they won't hold up," she added. She called on Iraq, Lebanon, and Tunisia to "persuade neighboring governments to help create a Middle East free from these vicious weapons." According to the rights group, the US, France and the United Kingdom dropped over 61,000 cluster bombs containing 20 million submunitions in Iraq and Kuwait in 1991. Almost 13,000 cluster munitions containing an estimated 1.8 to 2 million submunitions dropped on Iraq's soil during the US-led invasion of the country in 2003, the report said. A total of 103 countries have signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which opened for signature in December 2008. Twenty four including Britain and France have ratified it but 30 more ratifications are needed for the convention to become a binding international law. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #5 What a crock of bull. Cluster munitions are large bombs filled with little bombs. They're dropped in areas where infantry troops are either massing or dug in, not anywhere and everywhere. There is a known 'dud' factor of about 10%. Let's say that Allied forces dropped 80,000 weapons since 1991. Each 'weapon' contains up to 72 sub-munitions (or as low as 24). 80,000*72 = 5,760,000 sub-munitions. Ten percent of that if 576,000 possible 'duds' that haven't exploded. Duds have a habit of exploding whenever they're disturbed, or when weather factors are significant (extreme heat/cold). In addition, most US cluster munitions manufactured since the mid-70's have a "delayed destruction" mechanism that causes them to detonate within a certain period after being dropped. That delay seldom exceeds three months, and is 99% accurate. HRW, as usual, is blowing smoke, trying to make war as hard as possible so "sensible" people won't be able to wage it. Such "sensible" people are usually the first ones attacked by barbarians that exist in every nation. Look to Sudan, Venezuela, "Myanmar" (Burma), and the Philippines for examples. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2009-12-11 04:38 |
| #4 More white noise from the left. 1991 we invaded Iraq to drive them from Kuwait, where Iraqi's were raping and pilaging that small country. But thats not on the left's agenda today. I'm suprised this whole thing is not blamed on Bush/Cheney and further suprised they did not blame Cheney for Diana's death... |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2009-12-11 03:34 |
| #3 A total of 103 countries who can't afford cluster bombs have signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions |
| Posted by: Formerly Dan 2009-12-11 13:18 |
| #2 Aren't cluster bomblets meant to explode during an action? Or are they little 'mines' meant to explode in the undetermined future? If the former, then what's the difference between their duds and the Nazi bomb dug up in England not long ago? Duds have been around since explosives were invented. If the latter, then they should be included in the efforts (whether misguided or not) to ban land mines rather than starting a whole new treaty effort. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2009-12-11 09:17 |
| #1 over 61-thousand cluster bombs Oh, yeah? I heard from some guy at The Lancet it was like 61 million cluster bombs. In fact, it's gotten so bad, you can't even open your sock drawer without finding a cluster bomb. HRW & PressTV, it's a match made in heaven. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2009-12-11 00:41 |