Posted on 02/14/2007 7:21:07 PM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Democratic senators introduced legislation that would bar US use of cluster bombs in or near civilian areas or that have a "dud rate" of one percent or greater.
Human rights groups urged speedy action on the bill sponsored by Senators Dianne Feinstein (news, bio, voting record) of California and Patrick Leahy (news, bio, voting record) of Vermont.
Dropped from aircraft or fired by artillery, cluster munitions open above ground and disperse dozens to hundreds of tiny bomblets over a wide area.
Although designed to stop armored assaults, bomblets have fallen on civilian areas and littered fields long after the end of hostilities, most recently in Lebanon.
The bill would restrict funding for the use, sale or transfer of cluster munitions unless their submunitions have a failure rate of less than one percent, or unless the president grants a waiver on national security grounds.
It would also bar their use in or near civilian areas.
Since 2005, the Defense Department has required that newly purchased submunitions have a failure rate of less than one percent.
Human Rights Watch, however, estimates that only about 30,000 of the millions of cluster munitions currently in the US arsenal meet the bill's criteria.
"The US has a staggering number of submunitions in its arsenal -- perhaps one billion - that are highly unreliable and should never be used," said Steve Goose of the New York-based rights group.
The United States used about 2 million submunitions in Iraq in 2003, some 248,000 in Afghanistan in 2001 and 2002, and another 295,000 on Kosovo in 1999, the group said.
Seems that the "dud rate" runs about 51% in the Senate
Nice to see that not only are the Dems objecting to our troops getting reinforcements, they are winnowing down their armaments too.
Slick willie dropped cluster bombs on a downtown neighborhood in Serbia.
I guess "caring about the troops" includes denying them the use of certain weapons that would help them complete their mission.
Probably just one in a series of bills to come for eliminating Effective Munitions.
I wish they would just be honest and say they want to restrict the USA alone. Then again, honesty and democrats don't exactly mix.
Let's see what the minority party under the leadership of Senator McConnell can do to block it.
BTTT
When the ragheads stop putting nails and bolts in their fannypak human bombs, we'll stop using cluster bombs. Sounds allright to me!!!!!!!!
That is so funny! LOL
>> Seems that the "dud rate" runs about 51% in the Senate
Painfully funny.
Human Rights Watch, where Washington Post reporter Dana Priest's husband works. The same slimey Dana Priest that received a leak from Mary O McCarthy, formerly the leaky big mouth political hack at the CIA. Hmmmm........these dirt bags tentacles reach deep.
"Let's see what the minority party under the leadership of Senator McConnell can do to block it......"
Are you kidding..the Republicans will fold like a cheap lounge chair!!!
More like 90%.
bump
These figures are crap!
They are counting every little bomblet & sub-component pins, etc.
I sort of support this legislation and lots more of its kind.
Then the only way to defeat an enemy on the battlefield will be with tactical nuclear weapons.
Then the world will know that the US can be as ruthless as her enemies.
They do not know that right now!
Hmmmm.....just before the US has to possibly go up against a million man militia right next door in Iran, the dems wanna pull this crap????
Norm, does this mean that a first (AND VERY IMPORTANTLY STRATEGIC ) strike against Iran, make things like in the the link below now "illegal" if the dems pass this?
http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-154.html
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