President Biden has reportedly agreed to send cluster munitions or bombs to Ukraine as part of a new military aid package totaling approximately $800 million.
The move is viewed as highly controversial as the weapons are a grave threat to civilians – particularly children – due to their release of smaller bomblets that scatter and remain active for years after release.
Well over 100 countries, including significant NATO allies, signed a 2010 agreement that bans the use and transfer of cluster munitions.
While none of the nations involved in this decision – the United States, Ukraine, and Russia – signed that agreement, a 2009 US law also prohibits the transfer of cluster munitions with bomblet failure rates higher than 1%.
A Pentagon spokesperson said the upcoming transfer to Ukraine will involve bombs with a failure rate of up to 2.35%.
The President has the authority to waive the rule.
Cluster bombs are banned by a convention signed by more than 100 countries, including many NATO allies. Because of their huge civilian toll, their use has long been seen as a war crime (including by the US when used by Bad Countries™),
Biden is now sending them to Ukraine 🇺🇦. https://t.co/qhWQ66T4bl
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) July 7, 2023
RELATED: Trump Slams Biden’s Escalation, Sending Tanks to Ukraine: Warns Next ‘Come the Nukes’
Former Press Secretary Once Called Use of Cluster Munitions a ‘War Crime’
Former White House press secretary and current MSNBC host Jen Psaki, shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, called the former nation’s use of cluster munitions a potential “war crime.”
“I don’t have any confirmation of that. We have seen the reports,” Psaki said last February regarding news that Russia may have been using “illegal cluster bombs and vacuum bombs.”
“If that were true, it would potentially be a war crime,” she continued.
WH Press Sec. Jen Psaki on if Russia is using cluster and vacuum bombs against Ukrainian civilians: “It would potentially be a war crime.” pic.twitter.com/8YytmwDhw1
— The Recount (@therecount) February 28, 2022
One human rights coalition argued against their implementation in the war by stating cluster munitions cause “devastating harm to civilians, and especially children, years after a conflict ends.”
Ukraine and Russia have both, according to various accounts, used the bombs over the course of the current conflict.
Despite media reports and pro-war lawmakers past and present insisting Ukraine is easily defeating Russia in the war, a New York Times report indicates the munitions are necessary because of just the opposite.
From Websters: “Losing:” When youre getting crushed in war badly and must revert to nuclear threats nobody takes seriously. Ex: “Russia is losing the war in Ukraine so badly.” https://t.co/AFvDynSimO
— Adam Kinzinger (@AdamKinzinger) July 1, 2023
“Mr. Biden and his aides have tried to put off the decision, hoping that the tide of the war would turn in Ukraine’s favor,” the Times writes adding that one official insisted it was clear that the weapons are “100 percent necessary.”
Hope of a turning tide seems to indicate Ukraine wasn’t winning. The fact that this hope never came to fruition means they still aren’t.
An announcement of the latest military aid package to Ukraine is expected Friday.
Biden is exacerbating the situation in Ukraine by sending them banned cluster munitions. The country’s future children are going to grow up without limbs.
These weapons are not a “game changer.” They’re a last resort.
Per the NYT:
Cluster munitions’ bomblets are generally… pic.twitter.com/0v3xXmGOKR
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) July 7, 2023
RELATED: Trump Makes Impassioned Plea Calling for Peace, End to War in Ukraine
Biden’s Latest Escalation
President Biden’s move to arm Ukraine with cluster munitions is the latest measure that can be defined as an escalation of the war effort in Ukraine.
Bloomberg News writes that the United States has “provided increasingly powerful systems” to Ukraine since the onset of the Russian invasion, like M1 Abrams tanks.
Some of those weapons like the cluster bombs were once frowned upon by the President and his administration.
Biden told reporters initially that sending tanks to Ukraine essentially constituted “World War III.”
NATO is sending tanks to fight Russia.
In the past 24 hours, France, Germany, and the US said they would send armored vehicles to Ukraine.
In March, Biden said sending “tanks” to Ukraine is “called World War III.” pic.twitter.com/Y3eMNuR1wG
— Andre Damon (@Andre__Damon) January 5, 2023
Using cluster munitions viewed as potentially lethal for civilians in spite of current US law and negative international attitudes toward them could also be viewed in some corners as a precursor to further endless world war.
The news comes amidst reports that a handful of former senior national security officials have been privately trying to negotiate a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia.
NBC News reported on the “back-channel diplomacy” officials are currently engaged in and noted, “the U.S. and its allies are eager for Moscow and Kyiv to move toward peace talks in the fall.”
Oh fuck yeah.
This is the best news in a year and a half.https://t.co/CmjC39bt7D
— Scott Horton (@scotthortonshow) July 6, 2023
It’s unclear how the administration views arming Ukraine with cluster munitions in July as a path to peace talks “in the fall.”
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