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| Government |
| Trump administration to upend Obama-era restrictions on landmines: sources |
| 2020-01-31 |
| WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump’s administration is expected to relax Obama-era restrictions on the U.S. military’s use or acquisition of landmines, two U.S. officials said on Thursday, a move criticized by arms control groups. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the decision could be announced as early as Friday. Such a step would underscore the administration’s willingness to upend policies taken by Trump’s Democratic predecessor, in the face of concerns about the dangers of such weaponry to civilians long after conflicts end. President Barack Obama’s administration said in 2014 that it would no longer produce or otherwise acquire anti-personnel landmines, including to replace existing U.S. stockpiles, which can age to the point where the munitions can longer be used. The United States also prohibits the use of the weapons outside of the Korean peninsula. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #6 ^Snicker* I remember an old Vietnam-era anecdote about how "The US Army does NOT use boobytraps, sir! Those are 'mechanical ambushes'." |
| Posted by: magpie 2020-01-31 11:51 |
| #5 Do claymores count? The M18 Claymore is a mine. But a command detonated one and one that can be and is expected to be recovered after deployment if not used so it fell outside of the ban. The only other anti-personnel mine the US used was the M16 mine. Based off the German "Bouncing Betty" S mine. It has a charge which propels it out of the ground to explode at a height of 3-5 feet and spray the area with ball barrings. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2020-01-31 09:53 |
| #4 I've been saying usig landmines for a wall on the southern border for along time. Maybe Trump has another great plan ahead. |
| Posted by: Chris 2020-01-31 09:45 |
| #3 Do claymores count? |
| Posted by: AlanC 2020-01-31 07:52 |
| #2 ...seems to have worked around the DMZ in Korea. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2020-01-31 07:30 |
| #1 Muzzies can use IEDs, but lindmines are no no. p.s. Mine around the wall? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2020-01-31 05:15 |