The cluster bomb ban and progress thereof
May 21, 2008 by earthpal
The Dublin conference regarding the banning of cluster munitions is in play right now and over a hundred countries are in attendance, some of the absent countries notably being America, Pakistan, India, Russia, China and Israel. The British position was to be in support of the ban but with loopholes - according to this report, the Brits have been the main obstructor of a full ban and are insisting on being allowed to keep at least one type of cluster bomb.
Well that might have been the case pre-conference but our Gordy appears to have seen the light because according to this recent article he has ordered the MoD to have a clear out of its ammunitions cupboard and remove any remaining cluster bombs that are a risk to civilians. That is good news indeed.
For anyone in doubt about the usefulness or otherwise of cluster bombs can read this open letter to the government written and/or endorsed by some experts. And watch this short but heartbreaking video.
If the countries that don’t oppose cluster bombs underwent the thing in their own territory I wager there wouldn’t be a need for a meeting to ban them.
Yes Jose, and it’s those countries who have used them the most.