US rejects ban on cluster bombs

The United States on Feb. 23 rejected an international call to abandon the use of cluster bombs, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said. "We... take the position that these munitions do have a place and a use in military inventories, given the right technology as well as the proper rules of engagement," McCormack said. Forty-six countries meeting in Oslo pledged to seek a treaty banning cluster bombs by next year, with major user and stockpiler Britain and manufacturer France signing on, Norway said. "We, ourselves, have already taken a couple of other steps with regard to technical upgrades to cluster munitions, as well as looking very closely at the rules of engagement, how they are used," said McCormack. Israel and the United States did not take part in the conference. Currently, southern Lebanon is covered with millions of US-supplied cluster bombs sprayed by Israel during the final days of its invasion last summer. Lebanese civilians continue to be maimed and disfigured from accidentally encountering the bombs.