Examining the progress on a global ban on cluster munitions
Cluster munitions have long been used as tactical military weaponry in order to cause wide scale damage on those around where it is used. These weapons release smaller bombs, which are scattered in every direction. Unfortunately, the wide scale damage that is caused by these weapons causes many civilian deaths and injuries. Also, about 10% of the smaller bombs do not detonate on impact, and act similar to land mines, causing many injuries to small children. However despite this violence, no ban has yet been made on the use of cluster bombs.
In December 2007, a conference was held in Vienna which discussed the terms of a treaty which is supposed to appear before the end of next year. However, many major nations still do not wish to participate in such a treaty. Germany, Britain, Italy, the Netherlands and France have all expressed doubts about accepting the treaty, and the United States, Russia, Israel and Eritrea failed to attend the conference, despite the fact that they have used cluster munitions in the past.
As recently as 2006, cluster munitions were used against Lebanon during the war between Israel and Lebanon.
http://www.stopclustermunitions.org/
http://disarmament.un.org/Cluster%20Munitions/CM%20factsheet%20for%20web.doc
