One smallish step for mankind

Representatives of 109 countries have signed up to a comprehensive ban on cluster munitions. Included in the 109 nations is, somewhat surprisingly, the UK which has agreed to eliminate all of its cluster bombs and will also force the US to remove stockpiles from British soil. (I wonder if this covers Diego Garcia?)

The United States joined those beacons of freedom and peace China, Israel, Pakistan and Russia in refusing to even discuss the matter. India also did not attend the session or sign up to the agreement. The company one keeps says a lot about oneself I think.

When they came for the cluster bombs I did nothing because I was not a cluster bomb

Kudos where kudos are due. Gordon Brown's government looks set to sign up to a total ban on cluster munitions leaving the US to hang out with its good mates Russia, China, Israel, India and Pakistan.

Shall we listen to "generals on the ground"?

Because in the UK at least they are calling for a complete ban on cluster munitions but the Labour government is ignoring their advice and says that they want to retain to build, stock and use so-called "smart" cluster bombs. (I'm not sure if these exciting new weapons are well dressed or intelligent thought.)

Once again on the side of angels

Commencing today in Dublin at talks aimed at a worldwide ban on cluster munitions, weapons that are responsible for so many civilian deaths. That's the good news. The bad news is that my adopted country, the UK, wants to seriously water down the provisions and the country of my birth, the US, has joined China, India, Israel, Pakistan and Russia in not bothering to show up. Those five nations are responsible for the bulk of worldwide production and stocks.

Safe as houses

There are only a handful of countries standing in the way of a ban on cluster munitions. Unfortunately two of them are my country of birth and my country of residence.

But not to worry the global outrage over the use of these weapons, especially in civilian areas, is significantly overblown and the thousand of unexploded bomblets left behind present no real danger to children. They are, however, dangerous to trained munitions experts who are working to clear them once the war is over.