The recent decision by the Biden administration to approve cluster munitions for Ukraine, purportedly in response to Russia’s initial use of the weapons, marks a troubling and ethically questionable chapter in U.S. foreign policy.
Just last year White House press secretary Jen Psaki did not mince words when she condemned the use of cluster bombs as a potential “war crime.”
The insinuation was clear – such weapons were tools of the “bad guys.”
Further highlighting the situation, a letter from a collection of high-ranking Congressional Democrats in 2013 surfaced.
Addressed to then-President Barack Obama, the letter expressed a stark denunciation of cluster munitions, defining them as “indiscriminate, unreliable, and posing an unacceptable danger to US forces and civilians alike.”
The politicians’ letter was candid in its description of the destructive aftermath of cluster bombs, emphasizing that they “cause unintended harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure, in many cases long after the cessation of hostilities.” It recalled the sobering statistic from Operation Desert Storm, where “US-dropped cluster submunitions caused more US troops casualties than any single Iraqi weapon system.”
Via Zero Hedge:
Thus, the Biden administration’s recent move to supply Ukraine with these internationally outlawed weapons is a stark contradiction to the nation’s previously held moral and legal position.
It symbolizes a worrying shift away from long-held humanitarian values.
Our European allies’ reaction further underscores this point. Germany, a key ally, has voiced its staunch opposition to this policy shift.
As German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stated, “Germany opposes sending cluster munitions to Ukraine,” reaffirming the nation’s commitment to the Oslo agreement.
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Even within NATO, the decision has spurred disquiet.
While Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg seemingly attempted to distance NATO from the controversy, stating “This will be for governments to decide, not for NATO to decide,” his words do not absolve the matter’s gravity.
His attempt to justify the use of cluster munitions as a means of defense for Ukraine is deeply concerning, particularly when he argued that the “brutality” of war necessitated their use.
The approval of cluster munitions by the Biden administration, regardless of who used them first, marks a perilous divergence from internationally accepted norms and laws.
This decision, far from being a mere strategic move, highlights a morally dubious stance that should not go unquestioned.
As we move forward, it’s essential to reevaluate our commitments to international law and humanity.
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