The US is forever lecturing other countries how they ought to conduct themselves. Sanctity of the subject, the rule of law, etc etc. And the US itself? Aah.....a different value-system, and double-standards at play, as this piece "Flouting International Rejection of Weapons, US to Supply Saudi Arabia With Cluster Bombs" on CommonDreams so clearly shows. Despicable conduct!
A child who was a victim of a cluster bomb in Lebanon as he was walking with his family and their goats. It took one of these unexploded "bomblets" for him to lose his leg and have his other leg and hand badly injured. (Photo: Cluster Munition Coalition/cc/flickr)
"The U.S. is set to build and send 1300 cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia, the Department of Defense announced this week.
The U.S. and Saudi Arabia have refused to sign the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which prohibits use and transfer of the weapons noted for their harm to civilian populations years after they are dropped as unexploded submunitions become de-facto landmines wherever they land, and whose appearance has at times caused them to be confused with toys or food aid packages.
The $640-million contract, expected to completed by 2015, was given to Textron Defense Systems, which touts its Sensor Fuzed Weapon Cluster Bomb Unit as having "greater than 99 percent reliability," meaning less than 1% remain as unexploded ordnance.
Therein lies a loophole that allows the U.S. to sell these weapons abroad. A 2007 U.S. export moratorium prevents the U.S. from transferring the weapons to a country unless they are shown to have a 99-percent reliability rate, and the importing country has pledged not to use them in civilian areas."
The U.S. and Saudi Arabia have refused to sign the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which prohibits use and transfer of the weapons noted for their harm to civilian populations years after they are dropped as unexploded submunitions become de-facto landmines wherever they land, and whose appearance has at times caused them to be confused with toys or food aid packages.
The $640-million contract, expected to completed by 2015, was given to Textron Defense Systems, which touts its Sensor Fuzed Weapon Cluster Bomb Unit as having "greater than 99 percent reliability," meaning less than 1% remain as unexploded ordnance.
Therein lies a loophole that allows the U.S. to sell these weapons abroad. A 2007 U.S. export moratorium prevents the U.S. from transferring the weapons to a country unless they are shown to have a 99-percent reliability rate, and the importing country has pledged not to use them in civilian areas."
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