Why provoke public anger?, 【 Bureau 】 The United States Provides Cluster Munitions to Ukraine | Ammunition | The United States
[Global Times Global Network reporter Guo Yuandan] On the occasion of the 500 day conflict between Russia-Ukraine conflict, on the 7th of this month, the United States announced to provide cluster munitions to Ukraine. According to Agence France Presse, this means that Washington has crossed a fairly difficult threshold in providing weapons to Kiev, and this move not only immediately sparked protests within the United States, but also opposition from multiple countries such as Canada and Spain, as well as the United Nations.
Why has the relevant decisions of the United States caused a sensation both domestically and internationally? On the 9th, Chinese military experts told Global Times reporters that during the use of cluster ammunition, many unexploded bombs will fall to the ground, which poses a great danger to the people living in the relevant areas after the war. Even with the so-called "use of restraint measures", there are many uncontrollable factors in actual combat, making it difficult to achieve the goal of not harming civilians.
In the 2010 Convention on Cluster Munitions, over 120 countries agreed to ban the use of cluster ammunition. However, the United States, Russia, and Ukraine have not signed this convention. The 155mm M864 cluster shell provided by the United States to Ukraine this time has been in service with the US military since 1987.
According to US President's National Security Advisor Sullivan, providing cluster ammunition to Ukraine was "a difficult decision" and "we postponed it for a period of time.". But he added that this was the "correct approach", and President Biden made this decision after consulting with the allies.
When explaining why the United States is providing cluster ammunition to Ukraine, Sullivan said, "We acknowledge that the unexploded shells of cluster ammunition pose a risk of civilian injury. However, if Russian troops and tanks run over Ukrainian positions, occupy more Ukrainian territory, and conquer more Ukrainian civilians due to Ukraine's lack of sufficient artillery, it will also pose a huge risk of civilian injury."
In a statement, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zaharova said that the Biden government's decision to provide cluster munitions to Kiev was another manifestation of the US aggressive policy, which was aimed at delaying the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Military expert Song Zhongping told the Global Times on the 9th that Washington's decision has only been over a year since the US government and media accused Russia of "using cluster ammunition as a war crime" in Ukraine, once again demonstrating America's "double standards" to the world.
He analyzed that there are two real reasons why the United States is providing cluster ammunition to Ukraine this time: first, to assist Ukraine in counterattacking Russia. Previously, Ukraine's multiple counterattacks were unsuccessful, and Biden was eager to see Ukraine make a difference on the battlefield before the US election, thus garnering votes for himself. The United States believes that using cluster ammunition will help Ukraine's counterattack, especially in causing large-scale destruction of Russia's frontline military facilities and causing significant casualties to personnel; Secondly, the US military's move is aimed at "clearing inventory" - the cluster ammunition provided to Ukraine this time is about to expire, and it is better to send it to Ukraine instead of phasing out and destroying it, "more with one action.". Although Democratic congressmen in the United States have suggested that it is best to destroy the remaining cluster ammunition inventory instead of handing it over to Ukraine.
According to the Sputnik News Agency of Russia, the decision of the Biden government was also opposed in the United States. In an article published in The Washington Post, Democratic Party senators Patrick Lech and Jeff Merkley pointed out that the US decision to provide cluster ammunition to Ukraine was a serious mistake. According to the Congressional Hill, at least 38 human rights organizations have expressed opposition to providing cluster ammunition to Ukraine.
This move by the United States has also attracted opposition from countries such as the UK, Spain, Canada, and Germany. British Prime Minister Sunak stated on the 8th that the Convention on Cluster Munitions prohibits the production or use of cluster ammunition. On the same day, Spanish Defense Minister Rovers stated that Spain has made a firm commitment to Ukraine, but also promised that certain weapons and bombs cannot be provided to other countries under any circumstances. The Canadian government stated in a statement on the 8th that Canada does not support the use of cluster ammunition and is working to prevent such weapons from causing harm to civilians, especially children. In addition, Germany and UN Secretary General Guterres also oppose the US decision.
Military expert Wei Dongxu told the Global Times on the 9th that there are differences within NATO regarding the type of weapons and equipment aid provided to Ukraine, and European countries and the United States have very different criteria for judging this. European countries will not only consider the killing effect without considering other factors. European countries are aware that cluster ammunition can cause significant harm to civilians and therefore hold an opposing position.
He introduced that cluster ammunition, also known as cluster bombs, usually contains dozens or even hundreds of submunitions inside aviation bombs, with a wide range of firepower. It can target personnel in vast combat areas and also provide extensive firepower coverage for enemy artillery positions. In addition, some cluster bombs also have armor piercing capabilities, specifically used to strike military vehicles such as tanks and armored vehicles.
He said, "During use, many unexploded bombs from cluster ammunition will fall to the ground, which poses a great danger to the people living in the relevant areas after the war."
Some human rights groups have stated that many small projectile bodies in cluster ammunition do not explode after landing, resulting in children thinking they are toys or farmers seeing them in farmland, picking them up and exploding. These bombs that fail to detonate after touching the ground can pose a danger for decades. Public reports show that from 1964 to 1973, during the Vietnam War, the US military dropped over 2 million tons of bombs on Laos. It is estimated that one-third of the 270 million small bombs dropped did not explode. Their remnants continue to hinder agricultural development in the region, making housing and infrastructure construction complex and dangerous, and taking thousands of lives since the end of the war.
On the other hand, Ukrainian Defense Minister Leznikov welcomed the decision of the United States on the 8th and promised to only use these cluster ammunition on Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia, not within Russian territory, not in cities, and only in areas where Russian troops are concentrated. Pentagon spokesperson Patrick Reid said that Washington is requesting Kiev to record the use of cluster ammunition and ensure that it is not used in civilian areas.
Regarding Ukraine's "self-restraint" measures, Wei Dongxu believes that it is actually difficult to constrain the scope of use of cluster ammunition, especially during combat when there are many uncontrollable factors. Whether from a technical or practical perspective, it is difficult to achieve the relevant goals. "Even within the conflict zone between the two sides, there are still civilians living, and cluster ammunition has a very wide range of firepower coverage. Once it falls into residential areas or unexploded ammunition falls into residential areas, the harm it causes to the people is direct."
Song Zhongping believes that providing cluster ammunition to Ukraine by the United States will inevitably lead to more casualties, but it is not a "miracle tool" and will not have a necessary impact on the overall trend of the Russian Ukrainian military conflict. One or two weapons and equipment cannot play a leading role in the war system.
