Changes

===Iraq===

===Iraq===

Amid criticism the United States continued work on improving the cluster munitions to reduce the dud rate. The United States military began to improve its weapons for its new operation in Iraq. They used nearly 10,800 cluster weapons in Iraq; their British allies used almost 2,200.<ref>http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-12-10-cluster-bomb-cover_x.htm</ref> This time the improvements showed, as the new bombs only had a one percent dud rate. The Department of Defense described cluster bombs vital and versatile, but admitted that they are aware of their flaws. In 2007 the Pentagon adopted the Cohan policy, which requires the military to purchase only cluster munitions that have a one percent, or less dud rate.<ref>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2007/01/07/ING2INDCJ91.DTL</ref>

Amid criticism the United States continued work on improving the cluster munitions to reduce the dud rate. The United States military began to improve its weapons for its new operation in Iraq. They used nearly 10,800 cluster weapons in Iraq; their British allies used almost 2,200.<ref>https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-12-10-cluster-bomb-cover_x.htm</ref> This time the improvements showed, as the new bombs only had a one percent dud rate. The Department of Defense described cluster bombs vital and versatile, but admitted that they are aware of their flaws. In 2007 the Pentagon adopted the Cohan policy, which requires the military to purchase only cluster munitions that have a one percent, or less dud rate.<ref>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2007/01/07/ING2INDCJ91.DTL</ref>

==Damage==

==Damage==

==Effectiveness==

==Effectiveness==

Military strategist state that cluster bombs are  a "necessity" for military operations.<ref>http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m6007/is_2001_Spring/ai_92044664/pg_11</ref> Forces value cluster bombs because a single volley can impede advancing troops, destroy airfields, and [[surface-to-air missile]] sites.<ref>http://www.envirosagainstwar.org/know/read.php?itemid=5076</ref> According to [[United Kingdom]] Secretary of State for Defense, Mr Geoffrey Hoon," [Cluster Bombs], these are extremely effective weapons. They are the most effective weapons against armored and certain kinds of soft skinned vehicles…"<ref>http://www.isisuk.demon.co.uk/0811/isis/uk/regpapers/no79_paper.html</ref> United States officials have stated that there is no available alternative that offers the same effectiveness as cluster bombs.<ref>http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-12-10-cluster-bomb-cover_x.htm</ref>

Military strategist state that cluster bombs are  a "necessity" for military operations.<ref>http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m6007/is_2001_Spring/ai_92044664/pg_11</ref> Forces value cluster bombs because a single volley can impede advancing troops, destroy airfields, and [[surface-to-air missile]] sites.<ref>http://www.envirosagainstwar.org/know/read.php?itemid=5076</ref> According to [[United Kingdom]] Secretary of State for Defense, Mr Geoffrey Hoon," [Cluster Bombs], these are extremely effective weapons. They are the most effective weapons against armored and certain kinds of soft skinned vehicles…"<ref>http://www.isisuk.demon.co.uk/0811/isis/uk/regpapers/no79_paper.html</ref> United States officials have stated that there is no available alternative that offers the same effectiveness as cluster bombs.<ref>https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-12-10-cluster-bomb-cover_x.htm</ref>

==Banning==

==Banning==

Belgium became the first country to ban cluster bombs in February 2006 <ref>http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/07/24/isrlpa13798.htm</ref> and soon countries began to hold conferences calling for the banning of cluster bombs use.  At a conference in Oslo Norway, Forty-Six countries agreed to stop their use of cluster munitions in 2008. The [[United States]], [[China]] and [[Russia]], were strongly against banning such an effective weapon. These forty six nations that  signed the treaty include: [[Afghanistan]], [[Angola]], [[Argentina]], [[Austria]], [[Belgium]], [[Bosnia]] and [[Herzegovina]], [[Canada]], [[Chile]], [[Columbia]], [[Costa Rica]], [[Croatia]], [[Czech Republic]], [[Denmark]],[[Egypt]], [[Finland]], [[France]], [[Germany]], [[Guatemala]], [[Holy See]], [[Hungary]], [[Iceland]], [[Indonesia]], [[Ireland]], [[Italy]], [[Jordan]], [[Latvia]], [[Lebanon]], [[Liechtenstein]], [[Lithuania]], [[Luxembourg]], [[Malta]], [[Mexico]], [[Mozambique]], [[Netherlands]], [[New Zealand]], [[Norway]], [[Peru]], [[Portugal]], [[Serbia]], [[Slovakia]], [[Slovenia]], [[South Africa]], [[Spain]], [[Sweden]], [[Switzerland]], and the [[United Kingdom]]. The Lima Conference on Cluster Munitions was held in [[Peru]] in May 2007. Here twenty more nations agreed to stop their use of cluster bombs, bringing the total to 70 countries to agreement. Despite agreeing to the treaty some countries placed major exceptions to their agreement. One exception was the use of cluster bombs that include self-destruct fuses.<ref>http://www.fcnl.org/issues/item_print.php?item_id=2652&issue_id=138</ref> Countries that agreed to ban cluster bombs use at the Peru conference included, [[Albania]], [[Cambodia]], [[Chad]], [[Laos]], [[Greece]], [[Guinea-Bissau]], [[Nigeria]], [[Thailand]], [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Yemen]], and  [[Nigeria]].<ref>http://www.fcnl.org/issues/item_print.php?item_id=2652&issue_id=138</ref>  In May 2008, 111 countries met in [[Dublin]] and signed a treaty banning the use of cluster bombs, citing "cluster munition remnants kill or maim civilians, including women and children, obstruct economic and social development, including through the loss of livelihood, impede post-conflict rehabilitation and reconstruction, delay or prevent the return of refugees and internally displaced persons, can negatively impact on national and international peace-building and humanitarian assistance efforts, and have other severe consequences that can persist for many years after use.".<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/05/30/cluster.treaty/index.html?iref=newssearch Countries agree cluster bomb ban]</ref>

Belgium became the first country to ban cluster bombs in February 2006 <ref>http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/07/24/isrlpa13798.htm</ref> and soon countries began to hold conferences calling for the banning of cluster bombs use.  At a conference in Oslo Norway, Forty-Six countries agreed to stop their use of cluster munitions in 2008. The [[United States]], [[China]] and [[Russia]], were strongly against banning such an effective weapon. These forty six nations that  signed the treaty include: [[Afghanistan]], [[Angola]], [[Argentina]], [[Austria]], [[Belgium]], [[Bosnia]] and [[Herzegovina]], [[Canada]], [[Chile]], [[Columbia]], [[Costa Rica]], [[Croatia]], [[Czech Republic]], [[Denmark]],[[Egypt]], [[Finland]], [[France]], [[Germany]], [[Guatemala]], [[Holy See]], [[Hungary]], [[Iceland]], [[Indonesia]], [[Ireland]], [[Italy]], [[Jordan]], [[Latvia]], [[Lebanon]], [[Liechtenstein]], [[Lithuania]], [[Luxembourg]], [[Malta]], [[Mexico]], [[Mozambique]], [[Netherlands]], [[New Zealand]], [[Norway]], [[Peru]], [[Portugal]], [[Serbia]], [[Slovakia]], [[Slovenia]], [[South Africa]], [[Spain]], [[Sweden]], [[Switzerland]], and the [[United Kingdom]]. The Lima Conference on Cluster Munitions was held in [[Peru]] in May 2007. Here twenty more nations agreed to stop their use of cluster bombs, bringing the total to 70 countries to agreement. Despite agreeing to the treaty some countries placed major exceptions to their agreement. One exception was the use of cluster bombs that include self-destruct fuses.<ref>http://www.fcnl.org/issues/item_print.php?item_id=2652&issue_id=138</ref> Countries that agreed to ban cluster bombs use at the Peru conference included, [[Albania]], [[Cambodia]], [[Chad]], [[Laos]], [[Greece]], [[Guinea-Bissau]], [[Nigeria]], [[Thailand]], [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Yemen]], and  [[Nigeria]].<ref>http://www.fcnl.org/issues/item_print.php?item_id=2652&issue_id=138</ref>  In May 2008, 111 countries met in [[Dublin]] and signed a treaty banning the use of cluster bombs, citing "cluster munition remnants kill or maim civilians, including women and children, obstruct economic and social development, including through the loss of livelihood, impede post-conflict rehabilitation and reconstruction, delay or prevent the return of refugees and internally displaced persons, can negatively impact on national and international peace-building and humanitarian assistance efforts, and have other severe consequences that can persist for many years after use.".<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/05/30/cluster.treaty/index.html?iref=newssearch Countries agree cluster bomb ban]</ref>

==See also==

==See also==