Of cluster bombs and other abominations….

“… Israel stands accused of littering southern Lebanon with thousands of unexploded bombs in the final hours of its war against Hizbollah.” (Read article: http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0831-05.htm)

So, today, a quick review of cluster bombs, or Cluster Bomb Units (CBUs) as they’re called.

The BBC's Military Fact File writes: Cluster bombs are controversial weapons consisting of a canister which breaks apart to release a large number of small bombs. A range of so-called bomblets can be employed to attack different targets such as armoured vehicles or people - or to start fires.

They can cover a large area but do not have precision guidance. Dropped from medium to high altitudes, they can wander off target.

There is a significant "dud rate" of about 5%. In other words, many do not explode but, rather like landmines, litter the ground with the potential to explode years later.
(Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/world/2001/cluster_bomb/1.stm)

If you're wondering why a kid would pick one up, take a look at the photo below where a CBU is compared in color and size to a Pez dispenser.

Learn more: http://www.itvs.org/bombies/bombs.html

One question you have to ask yourself: is this something I want to be paying taxes towards? If the answer is "no" let the US Department of Defense know by sending them an email at http://www.defenselink.mil/faq/comment.html