President Biden on Friday approved the shipment of cluster bombs to Ukraine. Ukraine had asked earlier this year for the cluster munitions, but the US was hesitant to provide the banned weapons. There are approximately 120 countries that have banned these munitions including the UK, Canada, and Spain who currently oppose the decision. President Biden in an interview with Fareed Zakaria of CNN stated that he had to think long and hard about the decision. He also justified the go-ahead based on the fact the Ukrainians are needing more artillery munitions and US supplies are low. Providing the munitions to the Ukrainians as the US increases their supply would be a stop-gap measure. The one other monumental consideration is the Ukrainian offensive has been slow and bloodied at this time. Trying to get through fortifications and trenches the Russians had some 16 months to reinforce. Weakening those positions through conventional cannon fire will be effective only through time and a constant barrage. That is why the Ukrainians have run low on the 155 mm howitzer rounds. The cluster bombs will be more effective to weaken these defenses in addition to paving a way through the many kilometers of mined fields they have embedded along their frontal lines.
The cluster bombs will work effectively in hitting several targets including personnel, armor, tanks, and fortified command posts. The munition itself can be fired from a ground artillery piece or dropped from the air. The single munition will then release several smaller bomblets that will disperse in a radius of several football fields. A single cluster munition can carry hundreds of smaller bomblets.
The US has consulted with its allies regarding the decision. The reason for concern about this decision is that while effective now but clean-up will be expensive and future generations have to deal with the potential danger. Ukraine has vowed they would not use it on their civilian and keep logs where they were fired. The civilians they refer to are their Ukrainian citizens. Several Democrats are unapproving of the decision.
The US has consulted with its allies regarding the decision. The reason for concern is that while effective now clean-up is expensive and future generations will have to deal with the potential dangers. Ukraine has vowed they would not use it on their civilian and keep logs and register where they were fired. The civilians they refer to are their Ukrainian citizens. Several Democrats are unapproving of the decision. I believe the Ukranians will not place their civilians in more danger with cluster munitions. And providing the munitions will more effectively translate into success with the Ukranians breaking through Russian hardened defenses. Yes, there is plenty of examples where the munitions continue to cause havoc for civilians generations after. We have received from the Ukrainians how they will implement the use of the cluster munitions and detailed accounting for where they would be used. The Russians are using them indiscriminately and these same politicians aren’t writing letters to them to – STOP!