In a controversial move, President Joe Biden is planning to send Ukraine cluster bombs and an additional $800 million in military aid, according to Fox News. This comes as Ukraine continues to be embroiled in a bloody war with Russia since February 2022. Now, let’s take a moment to appreciate just how outrageous this decision is. Cluster bombs are weapons that can kill indiscriminately over a wide area, posing a threat to innocent civilians. But apparently, that doesn’t seem to bother President Biden.
The BBC has also raised concerns about the use of cluster bombs in Ukraine. These weapons have a high failure rate, meaning unexploded bomblets can remain on the ground for years, posing a risk of detonation at any moment. But hey, who needs stability and safety when you can have exploding bomblets lying around? It’s truly mind-boggling that Biden would bypass US laws that prohibit the transfer of cluster munitions with high failure rates. It’s almost as if he thinks he’s above the law.
The Defense Department has tried to calm the storm by assuring reporters that the bombs being supplied will have a failure rate lower than 2.35 percent. Well, isn’t that comforting? I’m sure the Ukrainian people will sleep soundly knowing that only a small percentage of these deadly weapons might not explode on impact. What a relief!
But let’s not forget that over 100 states have banned the storage and use of cluster munitions through the Convention on Cluster Munitions. However, neither Russia, the United States, nor Ukraine are signatories of this convention. So much for being a world leader in promoting peace and disarmament. It seems like the only thing President Biden is interested in is sending more weapons to fuel the fire.
One commentator on Twitter pointed out that this decision was expected because the US is running out of conventional munitions. How reassuring. Instead of working towards peaceful solutions, our government’s solution is to send more weapons. This doesn’t sound like a sustainable plan to me. But I guess when you’re desperate, you’ll do anything to keep up appearances.
Meanwhile, Russia has already been noted as being on the verge of winning the ammunition war against the West. Ukraine is severely outgunned, with Russian forces having a 20 to one advantage in artillery and a whopping 40 to one advantage in ammunition. It’s clear that Ukraine is fighting an uphill battle, and President Biden’s decision to send cluster bombs is only prolonging their suffering.
I’ve been expecting this largely because we’re running out of conventional munitions. https://t.co/wOgJc1WlkV
— Big Serge ☦️???? (@witte_sergei) July 5, 2023
CNN reports that Ukraine’s latest offensive to regain territory from Russia has been unsuccessful and slower than expected. The conflict could become increasingly unsustainable if it continues like this. And guess who the Ukrainian president blames for the slow progress? That’s right, the West. He claims that slow weapons deliveries delayed Ukraine’s counteroffensive and allowed Russia to strengthen its defenses. Thanks a lot, Mr. President.
It’s clear that President Biden’s decision to send cluster bombs to Ukraine is not only controversial but also reckless and misguided. Instead of promoting peace and stability, he’s adding fuel to the fire. This is not the leadership America needs or deserves. It’s time for our leaders to prioritize diplomacy and find peaceful solutions, rather than exacerbating the conflict with deadly weapons.