Cluster Munitions: A Weapon Out of Control

[playbassken]

I agree that cluster bombs should be banned from use in or near civilians and more work should be done to correct problems with submunitions that fail to explode 100%. On the flip-side, these are very effective in open area combat that takes place away from civilian population. Sadly, most point the finger at the U.S. when ours are among the highest percentage of exploded ordinance and rarely used in an urban or civilian area.

[7hevo1d]

is there a human rights watch video about depleted uranium ammunition?

[7hevo1d]

The use of depleted uranium weapons is illegal under various int. treaties (the Univ. Declaration of Human Rights, the Charter of the UN, the Genocide Conv., the Geneva Conventions). Yet they are still used by u.s and nato forces in iraq and afghanistan.

The Doctor, the Depleted Uranium and the Dying Children (1/6)

/watch?v=hlr_1kWXAUg

[42236118]

i agree, nobody complainend about naplam

[conceptual0theorist]

are you joking? go back to using napalm, like thats progress. if your being serious thats even more hilarious. but very worrying. were you being serious?

[1978chevycorvette]

i think we should use this and kill everyone over there out because they were raisd to think we are the bad guys,they need to go over there with a few atomic bombs and level the place

[rickrollins2008]

you are a moron but if i may digress.... i think we should arm everyone on Earth with machetes and just have a huge chop fest. Everyone versus everyone else... and just see who's left in like a month.

[grim967]

awesome bombs nice vid i liked the explosions

[skunkapotamus]

Sounds to me like they needs to devise new kinds of cluster munitions. Ones that are shaped like teddy bears and baby teething rings.

Time to get rid of the idiots.

[Latvis19]

nice

[qwuad60]

southeast asia was salted with cluster bombs and children especially in laos are still being killed or maimed,sad very sad.

[cirovski]

YEAH... Keep on closing youre eyes !

Keep on supporting undemocraticly chosen

presidents to invest 162 BILLION(!!!) in

WAR and "unemployment" for ONE year...

????? What was Cheney and Bush tinking ??

Oh lets get these unemployed latino`s and black`s some guns and send them to War ???

WAKE UP PLEASE !!!

[fourmanfilms]

Bush and cheeny own the companies profiting from the Iraq War.

[SlaughterMcKill]

War is about killing, maiming and destroying, so why complain if new ways are devised? I note that discussions of this sort aren't aimed at ending war so much as they're aimed at lowering the destructive output capacity of the Top Dogs, as though a two-way massacre is preferable a one-way massacre. How disgusting.

[jmaycock]

How about you SlaughterMcKill. Believe in God?

[luxcretia2]

sorry, but you people are annoying.I know that religion has brought and does bring a lot of misery to the world one way or another, now do i say that all religious people are evil?why do you keep on measuring things like that?am i an evil person, because i don`t believe in g-d?man, man....

[jmaycock]

You are missing my point. I don`t say that ALL religious people are evil, but when I read something like SlaughterMcKill wrote above I can make an informed jump and speculate that he is probably a religious right nut. What do you mean - you people? You have put me with some group, I assume Atheists, which I assume you are part of by your penultimate sentence. Do you not like yourself too?

[skunkapotamus]

Yeah, you pretty much said the unspeakable there. Killing is killing.

[11238]

Just an amendment to the previous comment:

I don't like terrorists for other reasons, but with the limited space . . . you gotta compromise.

Also: you --> you're "ultimately lose the war" --> "may ultimately lose the war"

I only had two characters left . . . what're you going to do?

[thatbastardson]

dalya should have done that with no shirt on.

[JasonWho13]

Cluster munitions are a very effective weapon but like any weapon, they can be used for evil. Of course any effective weapon is no good if it is being used in support of Zionism or Imperialism.

[sjl45]

Bombing is a cowardly way to fight, especially the bombing of "counter value" targets and civilian populations. Too bad it has been accepted as commonplace in warfare.

Bombing is counterproductive in an insurgency situation...for every true enemy combatant the bombers kill, they create 5 more by radicalizing the family of innocent victims.

In a truly just war, citizens should be proud to raise up arms against the enemy. Bombs have become the weapons of cowards who have no moral authority.

[alderaforall]

I am not trying to minimize deaths due to unexploded munitions but during a war many people lose their lives;both combatants and civilian. When it comes down to dropping a cluster bomb on an enemy position or seeing a group of U.S. soldiers killed and mutilated because these watch groups think these bombs are wrong, I think those bombs are necessary. My guess is that if these watch groups were being shot at and the only thing that could save their rearends is a cluster bomb what will they do?

[11238]

I think the issue is that there are other, more effective means of achieving the same ends.  The people speaking out in this video aren't shrinking violets: they're the very same people who have implemented policies that use these very munitions. To imply that somehow they haven't got the experience to make this case is incorrect. In fact, the people in this video are VERY well equipped to be talking about this subject -- far better than anyone who has commented so far.

[super8hogan]

In both world wars, entire CITIES were bombed. Why are yall so uptight ovver a few hundred casualties? I bet most people that want cluster bombs banned are America haters.....land of the free and home of the BRAVE

[hev936]

Every life is precious. This issue does not concern a few hundred lives, it affects thousands. I've seen several comments on how people don't care about this problem because of what was done in the 911 tragedy, well guess what: These people are civilians too. Please learn more about the conflicts inside of these countries before you discard the problems. If this many people were dying in your own country you would demand something be done.

[super8hogan]

hev936, instead of "demanding something be done" I would do something about it myself. I'd move away if I had to.

[11238]

Are you serious? Your comment is so stupid as to defy any logic. So, because innocent people have been killed in large numbers in the past, killing innocent people in large numbers now is okay? Have you no moral standard fo r the innocent versus the guilty?

You're unbelievably ignorant comments could easily be used to justify the actions of terrorists like those that attacked the US on 9/11. Or the Holocaust.

This is a great example of how the United State's education system has failed.

[super8hogan]

wow 11238, 9/11 and Holocaust in same sentence? Nope, but almost same sentence. Usually it's my party, or side, that envokes those words so eloquently. My "standard" is to win the battle and if the people that are experts on this say they need cluster bombs then bombs away. You say my ignorance could be used to justify the terrorists? I think your high pitched shrill of complacency and appeasement embolden the terrorists. In fact, they count on it.

[super8hogan]

As far as the education in the US thing you said, I can't argue with you on that. It's a failure that we continue to throw money at every year as it gets worser and worser LOL just kiddind with the "worser" use. Education system here just bleeds revenue and pushes through uneducated kids that cannot even communicate or read on a decent level.

[11238]

The point I'm making is that by using weapons that kill innocent people in significant numbers, you ONLY winning the battle and ultimately lose the war. I hate terrorists is because they kill innocent people avoidably -- if we do the same avoidably, what's our excuse?

There must be a standard for "acceptable collateral damage" and that which is morally repugnant. Mine begins with innocent people being killed avoidably: where is yours? Or do you not have a moral standard -- just "winning"?

[njwrestler22]

Oh cluster bombs are hurting innocent iraqi's! TOUGH! Cluster bombs vs. 2 fucking huge planes taking down two enormous skyscrapers full of innocent Americans. Yeah. Fuck Iraq, fuck the children, kill em all.

[hev936]

So what your saying is because your country was attacked, you believe people living in another country who had nothing to do with the planning of this attack should die? That is absolutely disgusting. The 911 was tragic, but what civilians are facing in countries like this far outstrips the casualties that the 911 caused. The sheer terror you probably felt on 911 is felt in countries like this everyday because they dont know whats coming next. They dont deserve to die, they deserve a better life

[essentialDemon]

you must have a crappy life.

The pain of 911 is real. But if you for one minute belive that for every american 5 iraqi's need to die, then you have a serious problem.

I know this is useless, and there will be more than enough dimwits like you who fail to listen to reason, but i can't ignore blatent ignorence like this without replying

disclaimer: sorry for my spellingerrors, but only those that know 5 languages and speak better than me are allowed to comment on my spelling

greetings

[jmaycock]

What a terrible horrible person you must be. Can I ask whether you believe in God?

[400hurdle]

correction: the UK signed the treaty to ban the use of cluster bombs recently.

[df6wen]

What I find interesting is how you all seem to think that all we shoot are cluster bombs. Cluster munitions are used to target a large group of enemy forces in a area with out throwing many grenades or dropping up to 5 large bombs. Which causes more civilian casualties? 50 grenades thrown by infantry under fire, 5 bombs dropped in that area, or 1 cluster shot that drops 20-30 grenade sized bombs? Remember every weapon you fire puts a soldier in danger. And every soldier puts others in danger.

[fight4tampa]

Great more "experts" that think they know everything that is going on. I love propaganda as much I love people that fall for it. According to this vid people would think the US is dropping tons of CBU's in the middle of every town, when infact they are not even being used in this COIN phase of operations. JDAMs going off target and missing the mark have killed more civillians in Iraq than CBU bomblets.

[mrnicomedes]

I didn't take that from the video, at all. What I learned was that the land-mine issue, which I think we can agree is a big humanitarian issue, could be surpassed by the use of failing cluster bombs.

The Human Rights Watch folk are experts in every sense of the word. The fact that they're not presenting the side of the argument that advocates cluster bombs for their enemy killing capability isn't surprising.

Weapons go off track. Cluster bombs and land-mines stick around to kill civilians.

[super8hogan]

mrnicomedes, land mines are buried and cant be avoided since they cant be seen. The children are taught to NOT play with things that are not toys. If the child doesnt listen, then the cluster bomblet goes off. Only the smart survives. Strength has nothing to do with this. Cluster bombs have to be made more reliable so that ALL the bomblets defuse or explode after, we'll say, 5 minutes from dropping.

[squarely]

Marc Garlasco proves that a person can be acutely aware of modern military methods, while also recognizing the need for a cluster bomb ban.

Fortunately, 111 nations (including America's allies, but not the U.S. itself) agreed last week on a treaty that bans the production, stockpiling, and use of cluster bombs.

America is separating itself from its military allies on this issue, and finding itself in the same camp as countries like China, Russia, and Myanmar. That's not the path to security.

[squarely]

Marc Garlasco (in this video at 1:57-2:19 and 3:22-3:35) was the Pentagon's chief of high-value targeting during the invasion of Iraq, before he joined Human Rights Watch.

So when people dismiss him as an anti-American anti-military "liberal" "so-called expert", then by extension they're also saying that the American President and the Pentagon leadership would all have to be idiots for having allowed such a person to steer their operations.

The commenters obviously didn't realize that...!

[acheese9]

You are so right. War must stop. A human is not a human if they have such a hunger to win that they tread on innocent lives, and ignore the civilians. (maybe it's just me, lol) but at the begining...the bombs looked almost graceful. That was disturbing. They didn't look like they were about to take lives.

[Ballpythondude420]

War cannot be stopped it only evolves war started with competing tribes throwing rocks and spears and hitting to now when we use nuclear bombs and airplanes that travel at hundreds of miles an hour It will never stop violence is in our blood.

[spartan079tye]

OMG. This is stupid, we don't use cluster bombs when we have a specific target in mind. This video is more liberal nonsense that uses creative video editing and so-called experts to prove nothing. Don't tell the US military how to do it's job and they won't tell you how to hug trees and abort children.

[GjallarhornWillSound]

i second that, this video is trying to say that we use them for EVERY target. it's just more bullshit for idiots to eat up. someone always has to something to bitch about, what will it be next? is it our fault the enemy sets up shop in residential neighborhoods where civilians live? no. the point is is there are gonna be accidents in war, whether it's a stray bullet, or shrapnel from a bomb. yea, innocent people die and it's bad but it's not completely our fault. (cont.)

[GjallarhornWillSound]

It's up to the people that live in those places to stand up and not allow bad guys to move in, they just allow it to happen and then cry when something bad happens like part of a bomb kills one of their family members.

[acheese9]

I disagree. Many of these people are impoverished, and cannot fight back. And if you were bombed, wouldn't you cry? SO moany civilians are killed...too many. If I lost everything so suddenly...so startlingly rapidly...I would do more than plead to world for help. My heart would probably break.

[acheese9]

Of course it's not our fault. What it is, is our responsability as human beings to try to solve it as best we can.

[MrCassata]

At least with a gun you can point it towards your target. A cluster bomb is an area-of-effect weapon. A lot less nice towards stander-bys.

[p15800]

lets drop our hole stock pile on iran and see what happens

[amor1vincit7omnia]

...hmm...maybe if you stepped on an unexploded bomblet...

hopefully you wouldn't die:) but maybe you'd have a little more humanity in future video comments:)

[sigmapixma]

Maybe instead of arguing about whether or not we should be in the middle East, we should ask ourselves "where is the bloated, bloody head of Osama bin Laden?" Isn't that why we vested ourselves in a desert conflict? Seeing Hussein hanged for so-called "global satisfaction" hasn't abated fuel prices at all. If you asked me, I'd say it was a Texas-toast version of the routine executions in Bush's home state. Interesting how there's no more news coverage of capital punishment...

[CrazyOIFVet]

I say the only thing wrong with cluster bombs is that we have not dropped enough of them on the Middle East! It would be a good idea to just level the whole goddamn place and build one big ass parking lot! What do you think of that idea you human rights watch pansies?

[dpstarcom]

i say most of the civilians are already fighting back hell they dont want us there nuke the god damn place

[klotesignup]

How would you feel if somebody destroys your home, interrupts your life and then starts telling you what to do, where to walk,... . People won't just accept a difficult/different present, not even for a better future.

[aesch72]

The problem with US cluster munitions is that they were developed to drop on mass Soviet troop formations; they were never designed for small targets in heavily populated areas. It's very irresponsible and the US and Israel should be way above it. Especially considering the precision laser guided bombs they have at their disposal.

[Suislide1]

Cluster bombs fucking rock. They cover huge areas and destroys tons of soft targets. Innocents die in war, deal with it. Cluster bombs are an extremely useful weapon and banning them based on morals is about as smart as shoving a box of cereal up your ass

[Macsareawesom]

Good ol' carpet bombing

[klotesignup]

The fact that they work is not the problem, the risk of postwar victims is just to big.

Chemical weapons were forbidden for a similar reason. Should we restart using them ?

[jmaycock]

Wake up citizens of the US. Hold your government accountable for using this deadly weapon that kills children and other innocents decades after being dropped. Lobby politicians to get the treaty ratified by the US.

[juggalowaw]

fuck off you liberal fuck

[jmaycock]

Great argument. Well done idiot.

[CrazyOIFVet]

Sounds like you should go to war and then tell us if you think cluster bombs are good... I bet you would change your tune real quick. You would be on here saying bomb those pricks please!

[jmaycock]

As your name suggests, I think you must be crazy. Go to war with whom? Bomb those pricks? What pricks? Even if a war is justified, and its been a long time since the US fought a justified war, the arguement against cluster bombs wouldn't change. The whole point is that they don't all explode on impact and then kill innocent civilians for years afterwards. You aren't suggesting that innocent civilians are pricks are you?

[CrazyOIFVet]

To answer your question:

Yes, 95% of the innocent civilians are pricks! Plus...the world is way too overpopulated as it is.

[jmaycock]

What a retard you are....

[CrazyOIFVet]

Good comeback! Bravo!

[klotesignup]

First:

-nobody asked the US to go to war with Irac. You Leaders decided that.

-a soldier choses to be a soldier! I understand that loosing a family member is hard, but you can't be mad at the other (=enemy) soldiers because of it.

Second:

Answer me this: what has changed/improved since the US army invade Irac ???

My answer is simple: nothing.

[CrazyOIFVet]

I will give you a free spelling lesson:

I-R-A-Q

[klotesignup]

I qoute:

"Good comeback! Bravo!"