by Kula2316
Mon Dec 01, 2008 at 12:16:41 AM PST
This Wednesday, over 100 nations will gather in Oslo to sign the Convention on Cluster Munitions, a global ban on the use of cluster bombs. The vast majority of our allies will be there: Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and many others. The United States will not. Once again, the United States laughs in the face of international cooperation and moral leadership.
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Yup, I'm sure tyranny would suddenly triumph if the United States couldn't use cluster bombs. Give me a break. The United States has said that it is developing cluster bombs that will be less prone to failure (not exploding) than the current weapon. The editorial board of the
Seattle Post-Intelligencer summed up that argument perfectly back in July:
The world bans an inhumane weapon. We want to perfect it. Embarrassing.
Cluster munitions have been used in many recent conflicts. Russia used them in Georgia in 2008. Israel used them in Lebanon in 2006. The United States used them in Iraq in 2003. In each conflict, cluster munitions have caused civilian injuries and deaths, particularly of children.
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If you agree that cluster bombs should be banned, you can
sign the People's Treaty, a global petition that calls on governments to sign the treaty banning cluster munitions. This is one issue I will be contacting the new Congress and President Obama about as soon as they take office. Obama wants to restore America's moral authority in the international community? This is a great place to start. You can learn more at the
Cluster Munition Coalition.
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