Milley Says Ukrainians Using Land Mines 'Effectively,' Reopening Debate About Controversial Weapons

[Sherman A1]

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley argued Thursday that land mines have been critical for Ukrainian forces' success against Russian armored vehicles.

Milley's comments at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing come as the Biden administration is reviewing the U.S. land mine policy after former President Donald Trump expanded the U.S. military's use of the controversial weapons in 2020.

"Land mines are being effectively used by the Ukrainian forces to shape the avenues of approach by Russian armored forces, which puts them into engagement areas and makes them vulnerable to the 60,000 anti-tank weapons systems that we're providing to the Ukrainians," Milley said. "That's one of the reasons why you see column after column of Russian vehicles that are destroyed."

U.S. forces have fallen victim to land mines in the past, including those made in the United States. About 90% of the mines and booby traps used against U.S. troops in the Vietnam War were U.S.-made or built by enemy forces using captured American parts, according to Army research reported on by The New York Times.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/04/07/milley-says-ukrainians-using-land-mines-effectively-reopening-debate-about-controversial-weapons.html

[COL Mustard]

1. Persistent land mines will be there forever

Even if you mark a minefield (which you would do to protect your own people), the odds are that if you know where every mine is, your demining operation is not going to get every single one. People get in a hurry or get complacent, or just get sloppy. We don't employ persistent mines anymore; everything in our tactical inventory has an expiration date.

[old as dirt]

2. We're going to be reading stories about these mines for decades to come.

Long, long after this war is over.

[Irish_Dem]

3. Ukraine grew food for the world, now it is contaminated with weaponry and debris.