Sens. Wayne Allard and Ken Salazar recently voted not to prohibit the United States from continuing to manufacture cluster bombs. That vote occurred while I was in Lebanon, and I felt total dismay at their decisions. If they had sufficient information, I’m certain they would have voted otherwise.
Cluster bombs spread “bomblets” over a wide area. When most of them strike the ground, they explode and release deadly shrapnel. However, more than 25 percent of the bomblets do not explode but instead remain live – and lethal.
The live bombs, the size of cellphones, are a special problem for civilians who work or live in the area. Children are prone to see them as attractive nuisances and kick them or try to pick them up. Even to touch a bush on which a bomblet is hung up can make one explode. The damage is extreme, and even deadly.
Therefore, these weapons are deadly in three ways: first, they explode in the air; second, they explode upon contact with anything; and, third, they act as land mines when they do not immediately explode. Some of these cluster bombs have been found, still live, from when they were first used by Israel in Lebanon in 1978.
The United States manufactures and sells tens of thousands of cluster munitions. The United States conditions the sale of them to foreign countries with the provision that the purchasing country not to use them in civilian areas. But Israel has not abided by these conditions.
Shortly after the Mideast ceasefire went into effect in August, the U.N.’s humanitarian chief, Jan Egeland, accused Israel of “completely immoral” use of cluster bombs in Lebanon. He also said that 100,000 unexploded cluster bomblets at 359 sites have been found. As of late last month, the Mine Action Coordination Center in South Lebanon reported 1 million cluster bombs at 590 sites. So far, 104 have exploded, killing 14 and wounding 90 civilians.
Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, said the bombs “should never be used in populated areas,” yet the incidents of cluster bombs found in the middle of civilian areas are far too numerous to be random accidents or collateral damage.
Amnesty International has called for the United States to stop selling cluster weapons.
I visited a facility in the ancient city of Sidon where they make artificial arms, legs, hands and feet. They are very basic prostheses, but are of great benefit to a child who has had both legs amputated. Sadly, the center has lost its Lebanese government funding for staff and material. The workforce has been reduced from 12 to three and must now charge for a service they previously provided for free.
But, they expect a continuous influx of patients due to the explosions from cluster bombs.
The victims are still in hospitals recovering from amputations. What seems particularly grievous is that more than 80 percent of the Israeli cluster bombs were dropped in the three days leading up to the ceasefire – after it was known that a ceasefire would be in effect.
In addition, the United Nations has repeatedly asked that Israel turn over maps detailing the areas it targeted with cluster bombs. Israel has not complied in any meaningful manner.
The United States is one of 10 countries that have refused to sign the International Land Mine Treaty. This is particularly sad given that an American, Jody Williams, received the Nobel Peace Prize for her worldwide work on the issue in 1997.
The production, sale and use of cluster munitions must be included in future discussion of the land mine issue.
I sincerely hope that Sens. Allard and Salazar will not only change their vote on prohibiting cluster munitions but will now lead the U.S. Senate in the campaign against the heinous weapons.
Dan Winters was in Lebanon in September 2006 representing The Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center and the Colorado Coalition for Peace and Justice in the Middle East. He has a blog at www. daninlebanon.blogspot.com.
For more information, go to www.stopclustermunitions.org.
