Proposed Treaty Threatens Operations with NATO Allies

A proposed arms-control treaty banning use of cluster munitions and aiding countries that use them could affect U.S. operations with NATO allies, a Defense Department official said. A draft treaty to enforce the ban is now circulating among Oslo Convention nations, and it prohibits any form of assistance to countries that use cluster munitions...

“A complete ban would put at risk the lives of our soldiers and those of our coalition partners, and make it more difficult to fulfill our security guarantees to others,” he explained. “And for certain types of targets, use of cluster munitions could, in fact, result in fewer civilian casualties and less damage of civilian infrastructure than would be the case if conventional unitary warheads were used against the same target.”

The Oslo process risks producing a “feel-good” arms-control outcome where nations without imminent need for cluster munitions produce a ban that has very little effect on their national security, but does have an impact on the security needs of the United States and its NATO allies. A NATO ally that signs the Olso Treaty would not be able to operate with U.S. forces in a NATO operation...

[a despicable sham designed to give our gutless 'allies' an excuse to never contribute to anything - while putting our sons and daughters at greater risk while they sit on the sidelines]

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