Today there was an interesting question ask about the latest treaty signed on Wednesday by a coalition of countries that would call for the destruction of the current batch of Cluster Bombs being used. Although I bet you can figure out who one of the countries that didnt sign was. The question was, Why isnt anyone, including the MSM talking about the USA not signing the treaty to stop production, and destroy the stock piles of Cluster Bombs? So I became curious about why I havent heard about it.

So first I looked up exactly what a Cluster Bomb is and Does. The Definition is:

Cluster munitions are air-dropped (Cluster bomb) or ground-launched shells that eject multiple smaller submunitions ("bomblets"). Their primary purpose is to kill enemy infantry, although specialized weapons designed for anti-runway, anti-armor and mine-scattering purposes have also been developed.

For some reason the United States was one of six nations that did not participate in the talks. It wouldnt be because these countries are the biggest makers and users of these munitions, would it? I think that is the reason above all else.

If the United States is the so-called caring nation that it claims to be, and everything is for the children they would stop the use and manufacturing of these bombs. Because with a cluster bomb once dropped it spreads hundreds of Bomblets over a two hundred yard area. The biggest problem with this bomb other than it kills, is that a lot of these bomblets dont explode and are mistaken for toys by children.

Acording to an article on the MSNBC website, the other five countries that did not take part in the meeting were, Russia, China, Israel, India, and Pakistan.

A draft obtained by The Associated Press as talks wound down with no major issues outstanding declares that a signatory nation "undertakes never under any circumstances to use cluster munitions" nor "develop, produce, otherwise acquire, stockpile, retain or transfer to anyone, directly or indirectly, cluster munitions."

Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said all 111 participating nations backed a draft treaty he called "a real contribution to international humanitarian law." He said it "is a very strong and ambitious text which nevertheless was able to win consensus among all delegations."

Martin predicted that the widespread support within the world community would put pressure on the U.S. and the other leading cluster-bomb makers to give them up, too.

The response from Washington was from State Department spokesman Tom Casey who said, Such weapons are an important part of the American arsenal. With that as an answer, is it any wonder that the US is losing respect around the globe?

ABA