Israeli Bombing ‘Broke U.S. Arms Deal Terms’
A preliminary investigation by the State Department has found that Israel's cluster bombing of civilian areas of Lebanon violated terms of an arms agreement with the United States. Israel receives roughly $2 billion annually in military assistance from the U.S., but Washington places classified conditions on how American munitions can be used.
A preliminary investigation by the State Department has found that Israel’s cluster bombing of civilian areas of Lebanon violated terms of an arms agreement with the United States. Israel receives roughly $2 billion annually in military assistance from the United States, but Washington places classified conditions on how American munitions can be used.
Wait, before you go…BBC:
The state department looked into Israel’s use of cluster bombs in civilian areas of southern Lebanon during its conflict with Hezbollah.
US-made weapons are sold to the Israeli military with restriction on their use.
Cluster bombs can scatter hundreds of small bomblets over a wide area, and their use has been widely criticised.
The International Committee of the Red Cross called for a ban on the use of cluster bombs in populated areas, because of the indiscriminate civilian deaths they caused.
And Amnesty International has criticised Israel for its use of cluster bombs in the final days of the conflict.
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The horror of Boston should be a reminder that the choice of weaponry can be in itself an act of evil.
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It looks like a pact to ban current cluster bomb designs will take another step forward, with more than 100 countries slated to sign the treaty in the next couple of days. However, the U.S., Russia and China -- the largest cluster bomb manufacturers -- so far have refused to sign on.
One hundred eleven countries have signed a comprehensive ban on the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster bombs, concluding a 12-day meeting on the issue in Dublin. Notably absent from the list of signatories was the U.S. -- the largest cluster bomb manufacturer in the world -- as well as military heavyweights Israel, Russia, China, India and Pakistan.
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