Britain unites with smaller countries to block US bid to legalise cluster bombs

[The Straight Story]

Britain unites with smaller countries to block US bid to legalise cluster bombs

A coalition of countries including Britain on Friday defeated an attempt by the US, Russia, China and Israel to get an international agreement approving the continued use of cluster bombs. The weapons, which have been used in Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon scatter "bomblets" over a wide area, maiming and killing civilians, notably children, long after they have been dropped and are banned under a 2008 convention which was adopted by the UK and in more than 100 countries. The US, refused to sign and in negotiations in Geneva, over the past two weeks pressed for a protocol to be added to a UN convention to provide legal cover for the continuing use of cluster munitions. But smaller countries, supported by agencies including Amnesty and Oxfam, refused to give way.

Thomas Nash, director of Article 36, a group which coordinated opposition to cluster munitions, said: "The rejection of this attempt to set up a weaker standard on cluster bombs shows that states can act on the basis of humanitarian imperatives and can prevail in the face of cynical pressure from other states".

He added: "It shows that it is not only the US and other so called major powers that call the shots in international affairs, but that when small and medium sized countries work together with civil society and international organisations we can set the agenda and get results".

The US was supported in the Geneva talks by other cluster bomb manufacturers – including Russia, China, Israel, India and Pakistan.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/25/us-cluster-bombs-bid-blocked?CMP=twt_fd

[krucial]

1. Cluster bombs

For once,these lovers of Cluster bombs countries got set back.
Lets hope there are more set backs to follow,including set backs for all warmongering occupier nations

[ProgressiveProfessor]

4. What setback?

What would have been a limited use role which could have later been tightened now does not exist. The existing treaty is not universally recognized and is therefore ineffectual.

[qb]

2. The moral authority of the US has completely vanished.

I hope this emboldens other countries to stand against other fucked-up US policies.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

3. CBUs are not illegal nor banned by the Geneva Accords

The current treaty is not universally recognized nor supported, The Guardian's hyperbole not withstanding.

The defeated effort would have been the first UNIVERSALLY RECOGNIZED restriction of CBUs. So rather than get a partial restriction that could be expanded, there is none. Good move there buckos.