Mission & Justice

15/8/08

International rights group Human Rights Watch said today it had evidence that Russian aircraft had dropped cluster bombs on Georgia, including the flashpoint city of Gori, killing at least 11 civilians. The New York-based non-governmental organisation said the dead included a Dutch journalist and that dozens more had been wounded. Human Rights Watch said its researchers had spoken to doctors and victims and had examined photographic evidence that led them to conclude cluster bombs had been used in Gori and the nearby town of Ruisi, south of South Ossetia.

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Gillian Bouras; 30/5/08

Women are odd creatures, a mass of contradictions. We love peace, harmony and order, yet let anyone threaten our children, and we are immediately transformed into raving and violent maniacs of the most primitive kind. We are not merely concerned about our own offspring, either, for most of us cannot bear to think of children suffering in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, China and Burma. What do you do when your own child grows up and wants to become a soldier? You try to talk him out of the idea, that’s what, and when you fail, you try not to think about the whole nasty business.

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Richard Norton-Taylor; 29/5/08

Britain is preparing to scrap its arsenal of cluster bombs in the face of a growing clamour against weapons that have killed and maimed thousands of civilians. Officials are paving the way for the unexpected step at talks involving more than 100 countries in Dublin on a treaty aimed at a worldwide ban. Well-placed sources made it clear yesterday that despite opposition from the military, the British Government is prepared to eliminate the cluster munitions from its armoury. These munitions are the Israeli-designed M85 artillery weapon, used during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and in attacks on Lebanon two years ago; and the M73, part of a weapons system for Apache helicopters. “The Prime Minister is very much behind this process and wants us to sign (the treaty),” a senior Foreign Office source said. “If we sign … we will lose the M85 and the M73.”

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Sir Cyril Townsend; 24/5/08

In a rapidly changing media world, it is agreeable to note that the Letters Column of The Times of London has altered little. Letters are still addressed to The Editor, and begin with Sir and end Yours Faithfully. Although The Daily Telegraph, a kind of daily briefing for the professional classes, sells more copies, The Times has a greater influence, and it is the first choice for an individual or an organization seeking to put forward a point of view on the issues of the day. On May 19, there was a letter in The Times that caught my eye under the heading: “Cluster bombs don’t work and must be banned.” It was signed by no less than nine former extremely senior military commanders led by Field Marshal Lord Bramall (chief of the Defense Staff — 1982-85). Other names were Gen. Sir Michael Rose (commander UN Protection Force, Bosnia — 1994-95), Gen. Sir Rupert Smith (commander 1st Armored Division in the 19 1991 Gulf War), and Maj. Gen. Patrick Cordingley (commander 7th Armored Brigade 1991 Gulf War).

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Louise Hall; 25/5/08

The Australian Government is frustrating attempts by the international community to ban cluster bombs, blamed for killing and maiming thousands of civilians. Talks are being held in Dublin to thrash out a treaty that would completely wipe out the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions among the 109 potential signatories. France and Britain have announced their intention to ban weapons that cause “unacceptable harm” but a group of countries including Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Japan and the Netherlands are push-ing for an exemption clause on joint operations with states outside the treaty that may use cluster bombs. This includes major producers and stockpilers China, India, Israel, Pakistan, Russia and the US.

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