@nowthisimpact: President Joe Biden’s move to send cluster munitions as part of an $800 million aid package to Ukraine has drawn intense criticism from prominent Democrats, U.S. allies, and human rights organizations who fear the use of such weapons could result in civilian casualties. When cluster munitions are dropped, hundreds of bomblets are released across an area that spans several football fields. These bomblets can potentially kill anyone in that area. Cluster bombs are also controversial because many bomblets do not detonate on impact. The International Committee of the Red Cross reported that there has been a 10% to 40% bomblet 'dud rate' in recent years. This means that for years, or even decades, after being dropped, these undetonated bomblets still pose a risk to civilians. They can often be colorful or have unique shapes, posing an increased risk to children, who may pick them up given their resemblance to toys. Biden has since defended his decision to send the weapons, saying, 'This is a, this is a war relating to munitions. And they’re running out of those, that ammunition, and we’re low on it.' He added, 'And so, what I finally did, I took the recommendation of the Defense Department to, not permanently, but to allow for this transition period, while we get more 155 weapons, these shells, for Ukrainians.' #biden #politics #ukraine #humanrights

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Monday 10 July 2023 19:42:58 GMT