USCBL Email News: June 2008
*In This Edition… *
U.S. Military to Release ‘New’ Cluster Bomb Policy
Most of the world’s governments agreed to a cluster bomb treaty http://action.fcnl.org/r/15406/83743/ last month banning further production, export, and use of the weapons. Major U.S. allies such as the UK, France, Germany, Australia, and Japan agreed that their militaries do not need to use these cold-war era weapons, which always result in too many civilian casualties.
Apparently, the U.S. military did not get the memo. Military trade papers have been reporting that the Pentagon will issue a new policy on cluster bombs any day—in response to the global treaty, which it opposes. According to leaks of the policy, it will allow continued use of even the most unreliable cluster bombs for 10 more years. Beginning in 2018 the U.S. military would only buy and use cluster bombs with a dud rate of less than 1%.
The ‘new’ policy underscores the need for congressional action on cluster bombs. Urge your senators http://action.fcnl.org/r/15407/83743/ to cosponsor legislation today that will help set U.S. policy right!
U.S. Newspapers Speak Out against Cluster Bombs
Following the successful conclusion of the cluster bomb treaty, papers big and small across the country wrote editorials chiding the government for not attending and encouraging the U.S. to sign the treaty. Among the major papers endorsing the treaty were the New York Times http://action.fcnl.org/r/15408/83743/, Boston Globe http://action.fcnl.org/r/15409/83743/ and San Francisco Chronicle http://action.fcnl.org/r/15410/83743/.
Papers around the world wrote similar editorials, most notably one of Israel’s largest newspapers Haaretz. While Haaretz http://action.fcnl.org/r/15411/83743/ stopped short of endorsing the cluster bomb treaty, it did urge Israel to abandon cluster bombs.
USCBL Activist of the Month: Vietnam Vet Runs to Raise Money for Campaign
Mike Felker served as a medic with the First Marine Division in Vietnam. While there he treated U.S. and Vietnamese casualties of landmines.
Decades later, the experience still disturbs him and provides the motivation for a yearly run to raise money for the U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines. Participating in the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial Run, Felker ran the 10k race in just under an hour.
The run, which raised nearly a thousand dollars, is a simple but effective way that individuals can help ban landmines and cluster bombs.
“We must do everything we can to eradicate this man-made epidemic,” said Felker. “When we use our resources to remove landmines, we are working to remove suffering, fear and impoverishment. We are working against the horrors of war and towards building a safer world for all citizens.”
Felker is also active in the Philadelphia area Adopt-A-Minefield campaign and Veterans for Peace.
Learn more about Mike Felker’s efforts http://action.fcnl.org/r/15412/83743/ to address landmines and cluster bombs.
Contribute to USCBL http://action.fcnl.org/r/15413/83743/ in honor of Mike Felker’s efforts. (Note: Please enter “IHO Mike Felker” in the Comments section)
