Israel refuses to clear unexploded bombs
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GENEVA - A global treaty to prevent deaths and maiming by clearing up unexploded bombs in war-stricken countries came into force on Sunday, but several powers such as Israel, which scattered Lebanon with cluster bombs earlier this year, had not signed up.
From Sunday, 25 signatory countries must start removing unexploded shells, grenades, rockets and cluster bombs left over from conflicts or pay for their removal, under the Protocol on Explosive Remnants of War, signed in 2003.
'This is the first international agreement to require the parties to an armed conflict to clear all unexploded munitions that threaten civilians, peacekeepers and humanitarian workers once the fighting is over,' the International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement.
All the world's main military powers took part in formulating the document, the ICRC said. But key countries such as China, Russia and the United States have not signed.
Also absent from the signatories is Israel, which came under scrutiny over cluster bombs after its month-long bombardment of southern Lebanon in July and August when it tried to crush Hezbollah Shiite militants in the country.
Since the conflict, the clearing of unexploded ordnance has progressed slowly because Israel has refused to give details of the areas targeted by these devices. Unexploded cluster bombs in Lebanon have killed 23 people and wounded 136 since the official end of fighting.
The ICRC has said that 95 to 98 per cent of cluster munitions are neither reliable nor accurate, while 10 to 40 per cent of the bomblets scattered by a mother bomb fail to explode.
The start date for the new protocol coincides with a UN conference to review another proposed treaty that would go one step further than a clean-up by banning some types of munitions. The conference runs in Geneva until Nov 17. -- AFP -
Someone must be pretty dumb to post this article.
Firstly, when a cluster bomb is released, it is scattered over a wide area, and the remaining unexploded bomblets will be near impossible to be traced - even if the pattern of release is known.
Secondly, are there any safe methods employable that allow for such unexploded ordnances to be recovered and destroyed ?
Thirdly, with the ongoing antagonism and hostility declared towards Israel and all IDF personnel, will it not be stupid to expect Israel to send IDF personnel into hostile territories to locate and disarm such unexploded ordnance ?
It will be easier to clear these cluster bombs with some dumb mushrooms.
Should we be surprised if the main potential competitive antagonists are not signatory to this convention ?
Cluster bombs are the most effective counter measure to any mass attacks, until another effective method is discovered, who will abandon this weapon ? -
Why would isreal clear the mines when it is technically still at war with some of its neighbours? It'll be like asking the koreans to clear the mines in the DMZ zone..and do you know how many mines are there in the DMZ zone? over a million...
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There's just too many of them to effectively clear them, especially for mines and cluster bombs as they're randomly targetted.
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thing is: they should not have used them..
which leads to: the idiots should not have kidnapped the soldiers
which leads to: the idiots should not be oppressing the Palestinians
which leads to: the Palestinians should not be blowing up people in markets..
which leads to: the idiots should not be oppressing the Palestinians
blah blah blah..
huh? what has that got to do with Lebanon?
see the stupidity of the whole situation? -
Originally posted by Atobe:
Someone must be pretty dumb to post this article.
Firstly, when a cluster bomb is released, it is scattered over a wide area, and the remaining unexploded bomblets will be near impossible to be traced - even if the pattern of release is known.
Secondly, are there any safe methods employable that allow for such unexploded ordnances to be recovered and destroyed ?
Thirdly, with the ongoing antagonism and hostility declared towards Israel and all IDF personnel, will it not be stupid to expect Israel to send IDF personnel into hostile territories to locate and disarm such unexploded ordnance ?
It will be easier to clear these cluster bombs with some dumb mushrooms.
Should we be surprised if the main potential competitive antagonists are not signatory to this convention ?
Cluster bombs are the most effective counter measure to any mass attacks, until another effective method is discovered, who will abandon this weapon ? 
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Hey Oxford Mushroom, I hate to say this, "Are you on the high with those magic mushroom from Koh Samui ?"Originally posted by oxford mushroom:GENEVA - A global treaty to prevent deaths and maiming by clearing up unexploded bombs in war-stricken countries came into force on Sunday, but several powers such as Israel, which scattered Lebanon with cluster bombs earlier this year, had not signed up.
From Sunday, 25 signatory countries must start removing unexploded shells, grenades, rockets and cluster bombs left over from conflicts or pay for their removal, under the Protocol on Explosive Remnants of War, signed in 2003.
'This is the first international agreement to require the parties to an armed conflict to clear all unexploded munitions that threaten civilians, peacekeepers and humanitarian workers once the fighting is over,' the International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement.
All the world's main military powers took part in formulating the document, the ICRC said. But key countries such as China, Russia and the United States have not signed.
Also absent from the signatories is Israel, which came under scrutiny over cluster bombs after its month-long bombardment of southern Lebanon in July and August when it tried to crush Hezbollah Shiite militants in the country.
Since the conflict, the clearing of unexploded ordnance has progressed slowly because Israel has refused to give details of the areas targeted by these devices. Unexploded cluster bombs in Lebanon have killed 23 people and wounded 136 since the official end of fighting.
The ICRC has said that 95 to 98 per cent of cluster munitions are neither reliable nor accurate, while 10 to 40 per cent of the bomblets scattered by a mother bomb fail to explode.
The start date for the new protocol coincides with a UN conference to review another proposed treaty that would go one step further than a clean-up by banning some types of munitions. The conference runs in Geneva until Nov 17. -- AFP
How can the IDF forces be going into Lebanon without the Mid East Muslim countries screaming invasion of Lebanon again. Moreover the radical groups there.are still technically at war with Israel.
Maybe you should reckon backers of the Hezbollah groups such as countries like Iran and Syria be sending their millitary personnels in clearing those cluster bombs.
Those terrorist group such as the Al-Qaeda,Hamas even the Jemaah Islamiyah will be better off helping the clearing rather than running the jihad call against the world. -
Both Hezbollah and Israel used cluster bombs.
Hezbollah started using the cluster bombs early in the war.
The Chinese-made Type-81, 122 mm rockets,which landed in Northern Israel, was the first confirmed use of this particular model of cluster munition anywhere in the world.
Each one carries 39 submunitions capable of shooting out hundreds of ball bearings.
Many of Hezbollah's rockets were often fired directly into civilian areas and did not appear to have a military target.
The bulk of israel's cluster bombs were used during the last 72 hours of the war.
The Israeli army is notorious for its strong responses to attacks upon Israel.
But since Israel's population is dwarfed in comparison to Arabs, the argument can be made that Israel must be aggressive and assertive in its defense. -
Originally posted by googoomuck:
So this arguement can be put on Singapore?
Both Hezbollah and Israel used cluster bombs.
Hezbollah started using the cluster bombs early in the war.
The Chinese-made Type-81, 122 mm rockets,which landed in Northern Israel, was the first confirmed use of this particular model of cluster munition anywhere in the world.
Each one carries 39 submunitions capable of shooting out hundreds of ball bearings.
Many of Hezbollah's rockets were often fired directly into civilian areas and did not appear to have a military target.
The bulk of israel's cluster bombs were used during the last 72 hours of the war.
The Israeli army is notorious for its strong responses to attacks upon Israel.
But since Israel's population is dwarfed in comparison to Arabs, the argument can be made that Israel must be aggressive and assertive in its defense.
[b][/b]
IF a war happened between Malaysia and Singapore, we can use cluster bombs on the southern coast of Malaysia? because our population is dwarfed in comparison to Malaysia.
For God's sake, population being smaller doesn't give the rights to use large amount of cluster bombs.
Btw some of Israel military technologies came from US so their weapon are more accurate. Read the news: less than ten Israelis were killed, more than hundred of Palestinians were killed.
See the difference? -
when the war happens then you'll see lar, wats the point of comparing an apple to orange? malaysia and singapore going to war..??Originally posted by RoyFang:So this arguement can be put on Singapore?
IF a war happened between Malaysia and Singapore, we can use cluster bombs on the southern coast of Malaysia? because our population is dwarfed in comparison to Malaysia.
For God's sake, population being smaller doesn't give the rights to use large amount of cluster bombs.
Btw some of Israel military technologies came from US so their weapon are more accurate. Read the news: less than ten Israelis were killed, more than hundred of Palestinians were killed.
See the difference? -
Several media commentators and journalists have alleged an intentionally distorted coverage of the events, in favour of Hezbollah, by means of photo manipulation, staging by Hezbollah or by journalists, and false or misleading captioning.Originally posted by RoyFang:So this arguement can be put on Singapore?
IF a war happened between Malaysia and Singapore, we can use cluster bombs on the southern coast of Malaysia? because our population is dwarfed in comparison to Malaysia.
For God's sake, population being smaller doesn't give the rights to use large amount of cluster bombs.
Btw some of Israel military technologies came from US so their weapon are more accurate. Read the news: less than ten Israelis were killed, more than hundred of Palestinians were killed.
See the difference?
Anyone who chooses to "alter reality" by changing the tone of an article or by editing a photo ceases to be a journalist and instead becomes involved in propoganda.
The BBC seems to give a higher importance on reporting civilian casualties in Lebanon then Israel, and seems unwilling to explain why in Israel a greater percentage of soldiers are killed then civilians. Israeli soldiers are in uniform, militants/terrorists are not. Militant groups have much to gain by playing down losses of their own members by suggesting that those killed are innocent civilians.
BTW, the numbers of casualties are:
IDF:
119 dead
400+ injured
2 captured
All figures are confirmed by Israeli government
Lebanese civilians:
1,191 dead 4,409 wounded
Israeli civilians:
43 dead 1,350+ injured
Hezbollah militia:
~80 dead claimed by Hezbollah
440 dead claimed and identified by IDF (of an estimated 700)
500 dead estimated by the UN
700+ dead according to Lebanese sources
13 captured