Post by Nathan Morrison on Sept 6, 2006 15:13:40 GMT -5
August 25th, 2006 11:07AM California Time
Pictured: A Child Is The Victim Of A US Cluster Bomb In Laos
Image Credit: www.itvs.org/bombies/bombs.html
"There are many different kinds of cluster bombs. The WDU-4, used in Indochina, contained 6,000 barbed metal darts which were released overhead. Eyewitness accounts tell of the WDU-4 literally nailing people to the ground. The CBU-41 has bomblets filled with napalm, the CBU-89 disperses mines, and the Honest John carries 368 bomblets filled with Sarin Nerve Gas. The CBU-87, widely used by the U.S. during the Gulf War, the Kosovo War, and the war in Afghanistan, has three kill mechanisms: anti-personnel (for people), anti-armor (for tanks), and incendiary (setting the target area on fire). The B1 bomber can carry enough cluster bombs to turn an area the size of 350 football fields into a killing zone." - ITVS (Independent Television Service)
Powers&Morrison.com has learned from sources within the United Nations and Inter Press News, that evidence of US cluster Bombs have been found littering the neighborhoods of Southern Lebanon in the wake of the recent bombing campaign carried out by Israel. While Authorities within the US have merely begun their investigation into this severe violation of Geneva Convention Protocol, the investigative organizations of the world community are much further ahead in examining the situation on the ground.
This article highlights the basic framework of established evidence that now exists proving that Israel violated international law. These items of evidence should necessarily be applied within the context of international law enforcement, and should necessarily bring about the immediate convening of a world body qualified to adjudicate in this matter.
These actions must have consequences within the United Nations in order to not only enforce existing statute, but to illustrate to Israel and other nations acting against these directives that their actions will not be tolerated.
With great power, comes great responsibility. The United States has given the nation of Israel much power, and it's time that the world held Israel responsible for how they've used it.
Where Do Israeli Weapons Come From?
America of course...
In fact, under George W. Bush's Presidency alone, $6.3 Billion in U.S. Arms and $10.5 Billion in Military Financing has gone to Israel. Among these transactions, 102 Lockheed Martin F-16's capable of delivering these weapons were sold to Israel.
"Israel is one of the United States' largest arms importers. Between 1996 and 2005 (the last year for which full data is available), Israel took delivery of $10.19 billion in U.S. weaponry and military equipment, including more than $8.58 billion through the Foreign Military Sales program, and another $1.61 billion in Direct Commercial Sales." -FPIF (Foreign Policy In Focus) www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/3387
The Palestine Monitor's Report of US Arms provisions to Israel:
www.palestinemonitor.org/factsheet/US_Aid_to_Israel.htm
The FAS.org Profile of US Arms Sales to Israel:
www.fas.org/asmp/profiles/israel.htm
With foreknowledge of the dis-proportionate arms capabilities between Israel and Hezbollah (Also spelled Hisbollah), Israel was warned on several occasions not to utilize weapons that were designed to inflict total potential damage on civilian populations. Cluster Bombs not only do such damage, they do little else.
Israel Urged to Shun Cluster Bomb Use in Lebanon:
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5213026.stm
{"Our research in Iraq and Kosovo shows that cluster munitions cannot be used in populated areas without huge loss of civilian life," said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch (HRW).}-BBC
Finally the US, today has responded to these allegations with an investigation. This author hopes that their investigation will include the substantial base of evidence already gathered and examined within Southern Lebanon. There isn't much else those munitions could be, and the US certainly didn't bomb Lebanon this month. The only way those shells (especially the unexploded ones) could have gotten there is via Israel's bombing runs.
US Probes Israeli Use of Cluster Bombs In Lebanon:
hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_ISRAEL_WEAPONS?SITE=ALTAL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
{The United Nations said unexploded cluster bombs - anti-personnel weapons that spray bomblets over a wide area - litter homes, gardens and highways in south Lebanon. "We are definitely looking into these allegations and we'll see where they lead," State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said Friday. The inquiry will determine whether the munitions were used and if so, how, Gallegos said.} - AP
Dahr speaks, and everyone should listen.
Dahr Jamail, half of the independent film team that brought us 'Caught in the Crossfire', has written a telling article on this topic for the Global Research Organization. It can be found here, courtesy of Inter Press Service:
www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=JAM20060729&articleId=2853
The Geneva Convention Bans the Use of Cluster Bombs in Civilian Areas for very good reasons. Here is the Protocol, followed by an example of the illegal use of cluster bombs by the US in Iraq. Israel's use of these same munitions violates this protocol of Geneva under the same terms.
{Protocol I, Art. 35:
"In any armed conflict, the right of the Parties to choose methods or means of warfare is not unlimited. It is prohibited to employ methods or means of warfare which are intended, or may be expected, to cause widespread, long-term and severe damage to the environment."
On April 1, 2003 the residential al-Hilla outskirts of Babylon were hit with an undetermined number of BLU-97 A/B cluster bombs. Each bomb releases 202 bomblets which scatter over an area the size of two football fields, with a dud rate of 5%-7%. Immediate reports stated that at least 33 civilians died and around 300 were injured in the attack. Amnesty International condemned the attack, saying that "the use of cluster bombs in an attack on a civilian area of al-Hilla constitutes an indiscriminate attack and a grave violation of international humanitarian law."}
Source: www.whatreallyhappened.com/geneva.php
In Conclusion, the world community must act to stop these war crimes. International law is clear, and Israel is in clear violation.
Write your Representatives ladies and gentlemen, and write to your spokesperson at the UN. For those of us in the US, let's write to France's UN Spokesperson, since it's fairly obvious that John Bolten has no place at a table discussing peace.
-Nathan Morrison is a Political News Columnist for Powers&Morrison.com
For further information on this or any article featured on this page, please contact: Morrison@PowersAndMorrison.com
www.LibertyInChaos.PowersAndMorrison.com
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