The United States is expected to announce that it will provide Ukraine with cluster munitions, according to a senior Biden administration official. Kyiv has been advocating for the controversial and widely prohibited type of weapon, while Washington has been hesitant due to concerns about the potential harm it could cause to civilians.
Ukraine has argued that these weapons would assist in its counteroffensive against Russian troops by enabling its forces to effectively target entrenched Russian positions and overcome its manpower and artillery disadvantages.
After months of hesitation, citing concerns about the weapons’ use and claiming they were unnecessary, U.S. officials have recently indicated a change in stance. Laura Cooper, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia, informed U.S. lawmakers last month that the Pentagon had determined cluster munitions would be beneficial for Ukraine, particularly against dug-in Russian positions on the battlefield.
National Public Radio initially reported the anticipated U.S. decision, which was later confirmed on Wednesday night by the anonymous administration official, who disclosed the internal policy discussions.
Here is what you need to know about cluster munitions.
What are cluster munitions?
Cluster munitions, first utilized during World War II, are a category of weapons that include rockets, bombs, missiles, and artillery projectiles. These weapons break apart midair and scatter smaller munitions over a wide area.
Why are they controversial?
Cluster munitions’ bomblets are designed to explode or ignite upon impact with the ground. However, historically, they have had the highest failure rate among all types of weapons, resulting in lasting and often devastating consequences for civilians. Humanitarian groups report that a fifth or more of bomblets can remain, potentially detonating when disturbed or handled years later.
Since World War II, cluster munitions have caused an estimated 56,500 to 86,500 civilian casualties. They have also killed and injured numerous American service members. Civilians, including children in Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Lebanon, the Balkans, and Laos, continue to suffer from incidents involving remnants of cluster munitions.
Aren’t these weapons banned?
While the deployment of cluster munitions itself is not a war crime, their use against civilians can be considered one due to their indiscriminate and long-lasting effects.
As a result of these risks, over 100 countries (excluding the United States, Russia, and Ukraine) have signed the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, pledging not to produce, use, transfer, or stockpile these weapons. According to the Cluster Munition Coalition, 99 percent of global stockpiles have been destroyed since the convention’s adoption.
Ukraine has stated that it would use these weapons judiciously, considering that it is fighting on its own territory and that many frontline areas are already heavily affected by landmines.
Have cluster munitions been used in Ukraine?
According to The New York Times…
2023-07-06 08:44:33
Link from www.nytimes.com
rnrn