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International-UN-NGOs
U.N. calls for cluster bomb ban at global gathering
2008-05-20
The United Nations urged the world on Monday to back a global ban on cluster bombs, calling the munitions unreliable and indiscriminate.
How about a ban on roadside bombs, too?
Representatives from than 100 nations are gathered in the Irish capital Dublin for two weeks of talks aimed at hammering out an agreement after several years of negotiations.
And a ban on chopping people's heads off?
But the Dublin gathering has already been undermined by the absence of United States, China and Russia, which oppose a global ban.
And maybe a ban on suicide boomers?
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told delegates that the use, development, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster bombs should be prohibited. "Because they are inherently inaccurate and often malfunction, they are particularly indiscriminate and unreliable," Ban told the conference in a video message.
The same can be said about suicide boomers and roadside bombs, though not about head choppers.
Cluster munitions open in mid-air and scatter as many as several hundred "bomblets" over wide areas. They often fail to explode, creating virtual mine fields that can kill or injure anyone who comes across them -- often curious children.
Posted by:Fred

#12  #4 Just as long as they don't ban my Dense Inert Metal Infrared Incendiary High Explosive Armor Piercing Anti Personnel Heat Seeking Depleted Uranium White Phosphorus Napalm Hollow Point Laser Guided Flame Throwing Nuclear Neutron Cluster Flechette Munition.
Just to be safe, I put a warning label on it. For the children...

Tu SCORES! LOL! that says it all TU... >:)
Posted by: RD   2008-05-20 21:05  

#11  In the back of my mind is a memory of a "Sticky Bomb" A grenade coated with glue, thrown with teflon gloves, the fool who picks it up to throw back finds it stuck to his hand.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2008-05-20 14:20  

#10  Can we develop a "Cluster Bomb" that only kills idiots?
Drop one on the UN, solve many problems right there.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2008-05-20 14:16  

#9  DIAMIIHXAPAPHSDUWPNHLGFLTNNCFT

aka The Dhinimis Revenge


Posted by: George Smiley   2008-05-20 13:54  

#8  I'd be curious to see who sponsered this. I'm guessing someone connected to an arms supplier/manufacturer who doesn't sell cluster bombs but then I'm a cynic.

Still I should think it wouldn't be that hard to develop cluster bombs that would be unable to survive even if they failed to explode. A glass packet of or two of chemicals that when mixed explode should be enough so that when the bomb impacts, if it doesn't go up on its' own the glass breaks and the chemical explosion goes off, perhaps not doing the amount of hoped for damage but certainly frying the interior of the cluster bomb and rendering it harmless (and useless to our enemies).
Posted by: rjschwarz   2008-05-20 12:28  

#7  How 'bout a ban on idiots who need to be cluster bombed? Oh, that's what the cluster bombs are for. Never mind...
Posted by: M. Murcek   2008-05-20 12:16  

#6  Yeah, make em better.
But in the meantime, keep dropping them on the bad guys.
Posted by: bigjim-ky   2008-05-20 10:00  

#5  "often"? The explosion rate is good, and is getting better. as usual, to get their way, UNSG bonky moon lies by badmouthing the technology.

Bomblets not going off ARE bad for kids. And for business. We should call for a treaty demanding that expiration dates on cluster bombs be honored and a pledge to develop and use such bombs with a better than 97% explosion rate.
to obey expiration dates of cluster bombs and pledge to work toward a 100% explosion rate.

What's that? You really want a ban on a weapon that kills lots of frothy-mouthed primitives with delusions of world and religious domination? FOAD.
Posted by: ptah   2008-05-20 09:20  

#4  Just as long as they don't ban my Dense Inert Metal Infrared Incendiary High Explosive Armor Piercing Anti Personnel Heat Seeking Depleted Uranium White Phosphorus Napalm Hollow Point Laser Guided Flame Throwing Nuclear Neutron Cluster Flechette Munition.
Just to be safe, I put a warning label on it. For the children...
Posted by: tu3031   2008-05-20 09:00  

#3  U.N. calls for cluster bomb ban at global gathering

Possibly even better...
Posted by: CrazyFool   2008-05-20 08:24  

#2  Representatives from than 100 nations are gathered in the Irish capital Dublin for two weeks of drinking talks ...

There. Much better...
Posted by: Raj   2008-05-20 08:17  

#1  This might be an interesting tech develoment and response to this lawfare :

Better Bombs: Scientists Develop Metal That Explodes on Impact
Posted by: anonymous5089   2008-05-20 07:08  

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