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Today's Top News
Cluster Bomb Ban Closer to Ratification: UN
UNITED NATIONS - The United Nations announced that a 30th country had signed on to the international convention banning cluster bombs, paving the way for the document to come into force on August 1.
A cluster bomb (including its bomblets) is on display at the Spreewerk ISL Integrated Solutions weapons decommissioning facility near Luebben in 2009. The United Nations announced that a 30th country had signed on to the international convention banning cluster bombs, paving the way for the document to come into force on August 1. "The United Nations received today the 30th instrument of ratification for the Convention on Cluster Munition," said a statement from Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's press office.
"The Secretary-General welcomes this major advance on the global disarmament agenda, and notes that the Convention's entry into force just two years after its adoption demonstrates the world's collective revulsion at the impact of these terrible weapons," according to the UN statement.
"Cluster munitions are unreliable and inaccurate. During conflict and long after it has ended, they maim and kill scores of civilians, including many children," the UN said.
The munitions can also impair post-conflict recovery by making roads and land inaccessible to farmers and aid workers, the statement added.
Burkina Faso and Moldova were the 29th and 30th countries to sign on for ratification after the Convention was opened for signature in Oslo in December 2008.
"The short time it took to reach this milestone shows that governments have a strong desire never to see these terrible weapons used again," said Steve Goose, arms division director at Human Rights Watch.
The convention prohibits the use, production, and trade in cluster munitions and requires assistance to victims of the weapons.
"In light of this new international law, it is especially important for former users of the weapon -- such as the United States, Russia, and Israel -- to re-examine their positions, which put questionable claims of military necessity above the well-documented humanitarian damage cluster munitions cause," Goose said.
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18 Comments so far
Show AllSooo, when will Baby Butcher Oh-bama sign this treaty?
What message do we send to the world if we refuse to sign the cluster bomb prohibition while preaching non proliferation to Iran and others?
I think the message that we send to the world is that we refuse to sign because of all the money that is made by United States in building and selling them. Not to long ago I read a book about Princess Diana's work to ban the use of cluster bombs because of all the injured, maimed, and killed children. She believed very strongly that they must be banned and was willing to do what she could to achieve that goal. In this book I read it said that the United States was one of the bigger sellers of the cluster bombs.
What do you call the nations who refuse to sign the custer bombs ban?
Let's see now, could it be.............terrorists?
The most effective strategy that the so-called "war on terror" could adopt would be for the US to embargo itself. To stop us from promoting and profiting from infinite war.
Maybe that old row boat my hubby wants to buy isn't such a bad idea.
I don't see how simulacra like Obama can look their own children in the eyes. I bet he seldom does.
If Obama is a simulacrum, those sweet kids are at least half-simulacra. Assuming they're his, of course.
So Obama can at least look each child in ONE eye.
Good enough for government work!
He is, after all, a Master of Compromise.
· Yr Obd't Servant
Do you think that Bush's girls are his? Or is your comment about Obama a subtle way to refer to promiscuity in the black community.
Are you absolutely certain that you are your father's child?
With simulacrotic eyes.
Ah, the eternal question-- will the US government support the abolition of cluster bombs, thus scrambling from the rear of the pack to take credit for heading the procession?
If so, editors will have to come up with a new title for Hillary's anticipated blockbuster of a sequel to "It Takes a Village".
The working title is: "It Takes a Cluster Bomb to Shred a Village into Bloody Hamburger". There'll be a Foreword and a nice blurb from Madeleine Albright!
· Yr Obd't Servant
I see that the head of the lion is hanging from the mouth of the lamb.
The day is soon coming when the last, stalking, predator killer human beastial will have died ... and gone from this world forever.
What a great crop of incisive, cynical comments. Hadn't heard the 'head of the lion hanging from the mouth of the lamb' one ...
"it is especially important for former users of the weapon -- such as the United States, Russia, and Israel -- to re-examine their positions, which put questionable claims of military necessity above the well-documented humanitarian damage cluster munitions cause. Goose said." Indeed - and the UK. Don't hold your breath anyone. Rogue states bent on world (read oil, gas, other natural resources and strategic dominance) don't give a toss about legality, one eyed, one legged, one armed kids, adults (or those with none of the above.)
What a furrough Obama could have ploughed, with his start with a clean slate, just a year ago. Boy what a dangerous creep he has turned out to be.
'The day is soon coming when the last, stalking, predator killer human beastial will have died ... and gone from this world forever."
'beastial' : "Marked by inhuman instincts or desires"
Here is an example of a beastial act :
"Drop a cluster bomb on to a village and turn the people of that village into a bloody mess of hamburgers."
I don't suppose anyone has raised the question of whether the deployers of these atrocities will now clean up the mess they made? No, well I thought I'd ask anyway.
We could send defusers in the form of robots, if we gave a hoot. I suggest that project to replace the contracts for drones.
Joe
Oh cluster Bomba round yee sycophants and those who wind you up: small munitions like small lies can cut to the bone and beyond; you are a prevaricating usurper of change, killer of Hope, and torturer of minds and hearts.
Gracias cocksucker: may your children find a few on the West Lawn-and be turned to red mist and gristle.
This comment is crass and uncalled for, heartless. When is it appropriate to wish that another person's children suffer a horrible death?
Oh yes, for a moment I forgot that they are black!
Well, this will be a valuable vote and a valuable effort if we can give sufficient publicity to the American and Israeli veto that will come at the end of it.
We know which side President Emanuel and Vice President in charge of PR Obomber will wind up on this one.