U.S. Still Undecided On Joining Landmines Treaty

[Purveyor]

Source: REUTERS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has still not decided whether it will sign a 1997 global treaty to ban land mines but said on Tuesday it has invested heavily to help mitigate the impact the weapons have around the world.

Releasing the State Department's annual review on the destruction of conventional weapons, a senior official acknowledged that a review of U.S. landmines policy -- which has been ongoing since last year -- is not yet complete.

The United States has not signed the Mine Ban Treaty or a global treaty banning cluster munitions, despite what it says are world-leading efforts to provide assistance for the clearance of landmines as well as the destruction of unsecured weapons and munitions.

"Just because we haven't signed those treaties doesn't mean we don't understand the humanitarian effects of those type of munitions," said Brigadier General Thomas Masiello, deputy assistant secretary for political and military affairs. "And that's why the United States (is) the largest contributor to both demining and conventional weapons destruction."

He said the United States had provided more than $1.5 billion since 1993 to clear landmines and unexploded ordnance and treat accident victims. In 2009 it gave $130 million in aid to 32 countries, he said.

Read more: http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0804/undecided-joining-landmines-treaty/

[AmericaIsGreat]

1. Yeah you can't ban mines man

We're going to be using them shortly. We're going to plant them on all the paths taken by the Taliban/Al Qaeda in the hills and mountains because, hey, fucking nothing else has worked and we're out of ideas so let's just throw anything at it. Anything at all.

This will work, I swear it!

[pasto76]

4. actually, there have been alot of things that have worked

but we're basically talking about a group of 40 million. So it will take a while. Even following stuff on DU, you should have noticed that the drones have been extremely effective, and al quaeda leadership has relocated to Yemen and UAE.

[EFerrari]

5. How does that relocation show the effectiveness of drone strikes?

Isn't that simply scattering the enemy across a bigger field?

[Demeter]

7. And probably the border with Canada, Too

It will take care of those pesky geese...oh, maybe that's what the cluster bombs are for.

[RufusTFirefly]

2. Oh come on. Let's be fair! There are a lot of, like, really great things about land mines

I mean, it's not that simple, you know?

Not.

[arikara]

3. Well after all

they do have a 10 million mine stockpile that they have to use up first.

What a bunch of murderous fools.

[Prometheus Bound]

6. The only justification for this I've heard is that without them N Korea would take over the world.

or something silly like that.

[marylanddem]

8. This is shameless.

Our military industrial nation... :-(

[Lost4words]

9. land mines lay in wait long after the conflict for a passing child

I am ashamed of our nations priorities!

[harun]

10. All un-manned weapons should be banned.