Will the United States please ban cluster bombs?

Over 111 governments agreed on May 28th to ban the production, use, stockpiling and export of all existing cluster munitions. This new international treaty commits theses governments to stop using these weapons and to destroy their existing stockpiles within eight years.

Unfortunately, the U.S. government did not attend the negotiations. Instead, it has lobbied hard against the treaty.

“I think [the international treaty] has real value and can be used as a strong vehicle to urge the US and other governments to get on board,” shares Titus Peachey, Director of Peace Education for MCC US, who is hopeful for the treaty. Peachey attended the meetings in Dublin, where the treaty was signed.

In fact, the treaty has already born some fruit. Soon after the treaty was signed, Senators Dianne Feinstein (CA) and Patrick Leahy (VT), and Representative Jim McGovern (MA) introduced a joint resolution calling on the United States to sign on to the Convention on Cluster Munitions when it becomes open for signature in December 2008.

To read more thoughts from Titus Peachey, please see: http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/222823