Well, it is the Ukraine that is asking for US cluster bombs, because the Russian ones tend to have more duds. So, in theory, if not in fact, there should be fewer US cluster bombs for the children to find…
Of course, one should remember that unexploded shells from WW1, still go off when a French or Belgian tractor snags them. A few farmers are still killed or injured every year.
On 6 July 2023, U.S. president Joe Biden approved the provision of cluster munitions to Ukraine, bypassing U.S. law prohibiting the transfer of cluster munitions with a failure rate greater than one percent.84 According to the Pentagon Ukraine will receive with an “improved” version of cluster munitions with a failure rate of about 2 percent, while the Russian cluster bombs fail at 40 percent or more.
In addition, some cluster bomblets, such as the BLU-97/B used in the CBU-87, are brightly colored to increase their visibility and warn off civilians. However, the yellow color, coupled with their small and nonthreatening appearance, is attractive to young children who wrongly believe them to be toys. This problem was exacerbated in the War in Afghanistan (2001–present), when US forces dropped humanitarian rations from airplanes with similar yellow-colored packaging as the BLU-97/B, yellow being the NATO standard colour for high explosive filler in air weapons. The rations packaging was later changed first to blue and then to clear in the hope of avoiding such hazardous confusion.Yikes!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluster_munition
Unexploded ordnance, the Gift (German for poison) that keeps on giving…
War is heII. This is what you can expect when you invade a sovereign nation. Hopefully the Ukrainians can clean up effectively once they route the invaders
Baslim the Beggar Premium Member 11 months ago
Well, it is the Ukraine that is asking for US cluster bombs, because the Russian ones tend to have more duds. So, in theory, if not in fact, there should be fewer US cluster bombs for the children to find…
Of course, one should remember that unexploded shells from WW1, still go off when a French or Belgian tractor snags them. A few farmers are still killed or injured every year.
Baslim the Beggar Premium Member 11 months ago
On 6 July 2023, U.S. president Joe Biden approved the provision of cluster munitions to Ukraine, bypassing U.S. law prohibiting the transfer of cluster munitions with a failure rate greater than one percent.84 According to the Pentagon Ukraine will receive with an “improved” version of cluster munitions with a failure rate of about 2 percent, while the Russian cluster bombs fail at 40 percent or more.
In addition, some cluster bomblets, such as the BLU-97/B used in the CBU-87, are brightly colored to increase their visibility and warn off civilians. However, the yellow color, coupled with their small and nonthreatening appearance, is attractive to young children who wrongly believe them to be toys. This problem was exacerbated in the War in Afghanistan (2001–present), when US forces dropped humanitarian rations from airplanes with similar yellow-colored packaging as the BLU-97/B, yellow being the NATO standard colour for high explosive filler in air weapons. The rations packaging was later changed first to blue and then to clear in the hope of avoiding such hazardous confusion. Yikes!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluster_munition
Unexploded ordnance, the Gift (German for poison) that keeps on giving…
XF8U-3 11 months ago
This is the Ukrainians call – it is their land and their people.
They want them, bad, and soon as they work against entrenched Russians.
Free Radical 11 months ago
War is heII. This is what you can expect when you invade a sovereign nation. Hopefully the Ukrainians can clean up effectively once they route the invaders
jvscanlan Premium Member 11 months ago
Really hope that the claim that US cluster bombs have a much much lower dud rate than Russian bombs do
Flashaaway 11 months ago
As if the Russians are not fighting dirty, why else would they have the nuclear power station wired up to explode?
ElEfJay 11 months ago
This can’t possibly go wrong.
SameAsOldFfred 11 months ago
The gift that keeps giving.
Rich Douglas 11 months ago
Except that the bombs will be used in occupied territory were, presumably, few kids will be playing.