They will bring only suffering and horror to civilians - these are the weapons Washington is set to send to Ukraine

The cluster bombs that Washington is set to supply to Ukraine have killed or maimed millions of civilians over the past decades. The worst affected region is Southeast Asia, with Laos being the largest victim of cluster munitions, where one third of the country remains contaminated with unexploded devices from the Vietnam War. Regardless of political affiliation, the media across the globe and most of the world's governments are striving to dissuade Joe Biden from delivering cluster bombs to Kiev, but their efforts appear to be in vain.

Jogvédők a kazettás bombákat a föld „legalattomosabb” fegyverei közé sorolják. Washington bejelentette, hogy immár kazettás bombákat is küld Kijevnek az orosz-ukrán háborúba. (Fotó: Simon Ateba / Twitter)

Why are cluster bombs so dangerous?

It is no coincidence that the use and manufacturing of cluster bombs have been banned by more than a hundred countries. They are munitions, usually dropped from aircraft, but also launched from artillery systems, and the projectiles contain hundreds of small bomblets. Once at the right altitude, the projectiles release these submunitions, which land on the target area with the help of  a parachute-like structure. They detonate on impact. If they go off.

The greatest danger is posed by unexploded bomblets, which behave like landmines: innocent civilians can step on them or otherwise come into contact with them at any time, and tragedy is inevitable.

How cluster bombs work

 

Bloody exercise continues

On 7 July, the White House confirmed information that had been circulating in press reports for days: the United States will supply cluster bombs to Ukraine. Since then, regardless of party lines, media across the globe and most of the world's governments have expressed their disapproval over the decision and strived to dissuade Joe Biden from supplying weapons that would inflict suffering for Ukrainian civilians for years. The move is justified by saying that Kyiv needs the cluster bombs to be able to more effectively break Russian defensive lines during their counter-offensive.

Washington has tried to explain the transfer of the controversial weapons by saying that US-developed cluster munitions have very low failure, or dud rate, slightly more than two per cent. Compared to this, Russian devices have dud rates of between 30 and 40 per cent.

However, The New York Times pointed out in an article that the figure from Pentagon is not realistic, as the shipment will include stockpiled older bombs with a much higher dud rate than the more recently manufactured munitions, with failure rate reaching more than 14 per cent or even 23 per cent in some estimates. US officials have drawn on a rather surprising argument in a bid to whitewash the arms supply: if Russia is using them, why shouldn't Ukraine?

Russia has already spread tens of millions of these bomblets across Ukrainian territory. So we have to ask ourselves: Is Ukraine’s use of cluster munitions on that same land actually that much of an addition of civilian harm, given that that area is going to have to be de-mined regardless?

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan argued.

Where are the boundaries?

However, most of the world does not agree with this argument.

Joe Biden should not be dragging us further toward World War III by sending cluster munitions to Ukraine,

Donald Trump warned recently. The former US president pointed out that these munitions can kill and maim innocent Ukrainian civilians for decades to come, long after the war. The World Bank estimates that Ukraine's full demining package will cost more than 37 billion US dollars. This amount could increase significantly if Kyiv starts to use cluster bombs  – not to mention the surge in civilian casualties.

That the United States is prepared to provide a weapon so clearly flouting international humanitarian law – and still causing civilian casualties – contradicts the principled commitment of our allies who have signed the treaty. It demands the question, 'Where are our boundaries?'

as asked in an opinion piece penned by Titus Peachey, a steering committee member of a US organisation campaigning to ban cluster munitions. As we follow the evolution of US foreign policy since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine – especially in the case of arms supplies  – the answer to Mr Peachey's question becomes increasingly clear: probably nowhere. For Washington, there is no line it wouldn't cross when it comes to defeating Russia – at least it appears so for the moment.

Cover photo: Rights activists describe cluster bombs as one of the most "insidious" weapons on earth. Washington has announced the sending of cluster bombs to Kyiv for use in the Russia-Ukraine war. (Source: Twitter)