Slashdot Mirror

Did the Romans plant devices that could chop off the limbs of a playing child years or even decades after the conflict has ended, devices specifically intended to maim and kill indiscriminately ? And did they in fact spread this disease all over the world by exporting the stuff to every two bit warlord with the cash to buy them ?

The Romans were ruthless enough to chop limbs off children personally (sort of a "hands off"-approach ;-). It takes quite a different level of ruthlessness to personally skewer a kid with a sword, than selling a mine to somebody who may use it in a way that results in kids getting maimed and killed. Any coward can quiet their conscience in the hopes of quick profits (for an arms merchant) or not think very far into the future when securing their position in a war (for a soldier in a war zone). Very very few individuals (today, in developed countries) are ruthless enough to personally off a kid.

Did the Romans plant devices that could chop off the limbs of a playing child years or even decades after the conflict has ended, devices specifically intended to maim and kill indiscriminately ? And did they in fact spread this disease all over the world by exporting the stuff to every two bit warlord with the cash to buy them ?

While US politics, just like US business, can't see further than this presidential term and next quarter's results, those pesky Europeans tend to look years and decades ahead and plan business slower, but more profitable in the long run. And they get all the goodwill too: you never hear of "anti-Swiss sentiments" and all the money, including that of your pet dictators, is in their banks.

U.S. Use of Landmines in Korea: Myths and Reality (Prepared by the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation March, 2002) http://www.banminesusa.org/qa/vvaf.html

NGOs Urge US to Halt use of Landmines in Afghanistan http://www.commondreams.org/headlines01/1027-05.ht m

From "Landmines in Iraq": http://hrw.org/campaigns/iraq/iraqmines1212.htm
The last time the U.S. used antipersonnel mines was in the Gulf War in 1991 and according to a study recently released by the General Accounting Office, the Bush Administration is reported to be reviewing war plans that include plans for the use of mines. The Pentagon has said it "retains the right to use landmines."

From the same source: What will the impact be on the mine ban movement if the U.S. uses mines in Iraq? The use of antipersonnel mines by the U.S. in Iraq would certainly be a setback to the overall movement to eradicate the weapon. It would reverse the positive steps the U.S. has taken in the past decade to ban antipersonnel mines, which has been an objective of the U.S. since 1994; it would likely be the death knell of the existing U.S. policy goal of joining the Mine Ban Treaty by 2006. New U.S. mine use would also undermine efforts to fully implement and universalize the Mine Ban Treaty by providing justification for other holdout states to use, produce, or export these indiscriminate weapons. The U.S. supplied antipersonnel mines to more than three-dozen countries in the past. U.S.-manufactured mines have been planted in the ground and caused civilian casualties in more than two-dozen countries.

So much for the US being whiter than white when it comes to landmines.

hmmmm maybe not:

http://www.banminesusa.org/qa/vvaf.html

http://www.banminesusa.org/urg_act/990_generalsltr .html

hmmmm maybe not:

http://www.banminesusa.org/qa/vvaf.html

http://www.banminesusa.org/urg_act/990_generalsltr .html

The landmines in the DMZ between North/South Korea was one reason that the USA declined to join the accords. However, I have heard that South Korea is under control of the landmines and is actively removing them.

The USA is still out of the banning treaty of course, and the Pentagon has srecommended that this remain the case.

You can find the USA's ICBL status for 2003 here.

Many countries' status can be viewed at ICBL.org.

Those are about the most evil, wicked and for civilians devastating weapons in use today (even decades after they where planted) and just about every civilized country shuns them.

Sorry bub, but as long the US doesn't sign this treaty there's neither respect nor credit for such a sinister programs.

Oh, I forgot, the US doesn't sign international treaties that actually help to make the world a safer place!

This is all good and neat, but how about we look at the treaty for banning land mines? Take a look at http://www.banminesusa.org.

Hey, we can clear your land mines with our cool laser technology for only $200,000,000. By the way, here's the brochure for our newest offering of grade AAA mines.

The first step to ridding the world of landmines is to stop using them of course that would be so much easier if the USA would stop using them rather than thinking of increasing thier use.

The first step to ridding the world of landmines is to stop using them of course that would be so much easier if the USA would stop using them rather than thinking of increasing thier use.

The first step to ridding the world of landmines is to stop using them of course that would be so much easier if the USA would stop using them rather than thinking of increasing thier use.

Landmines kill far more civilians than military personnel. Landmines are not a targeted weapon - they kill indiscriminitely.

For more information, see:

International Campaign to Ban Landmines

United States Campaign to Ban Landmines