Staff Reports
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. does not hold back in his criticism of Joe Biden's decision to convey cluster munitions to Ukraine, a Democratic presidential candidate. The Biden administration recently announced that they will be dispatching Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICM), also known as M864 155-millimeter artillery projectiles, to Ukraine. The purpose of these projectiles is to disperse smaller explosives over a wide area, specifically targeting personnel and vehicles.
RFK Jr Blasts Biden For Transfer of ‘Horrific’ Cluster Munitions To Ukrainehttps://t.co/gRpmKlLUs4
— The Daily Fetched (@DailyFetched) July 8, 2023
You may now be pondering what all the hubbub is about. As it turns out, cluster munitions are highly controversial because of the danger they pose to civilians. These munitions contain submunitions, also known as "duds," which are capable of causing damage long after a conflict has ended. Due to the harm cluster munitions can cause to defenseless civilians, more than a hundred nations have signed an international treaty prohibiting their use. And yet, the Biden administration is preparing to ship these horrifying armaments to Ukraine.
Cluster bombs are munitions so horrific for civilians that more than a hundred nations have signed an international treaty banning them. Now the Biden administration is preparing to send them to Ukraine.https://t.co/Ck2gSm0SOj
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) July 7, 2023
These munitions scatter bomblets across the landscape. Many fail to explode — until children pick them up later. They have caused thousands of injuries and deaths to civilians.
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) July 7, 2023
Fortunately for Biden, there's no anti-war left in the US Congress to bother him about this.
There are a few left-ish commentators, otherwise loyal to Democrats, who are making some noise about it, but by and large this will go forward without protest.https://t.co/DxH3SnEWWj
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) July 7, 2023
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressed his profound concern for this decision via Twitter. He tweeted, "Cluster weapons are so horrific for civilians that over a hundred nations have signed a treaty prohibiting them. Now, the administration of Vice President Joe Biden is preparing to deploy them to Ukraine." Kennedy is correct. These weapons disperse bomblets across the terrain, many of which fail to detonate and are subsequently discovered by innocent children. They have caused thousands of civilian injuries and fatalities. It is a genuinely tragic situation.
However, this decision to ship cluster munitions to Ukraine is merely the most recent in a string of questionable decisions made by the Biden administration. The United States has provided over $100 billion in aid to Ukraine over the years, and in January they announced that they would be dispatching 31 M1 Abrams main battle tanks. And let's not forget the MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile battery that Ukraine received in December of last year. Clearly, the Biden administration is committed to supporting Ukraine, but at what expense?
Journalist Glenn Greenwald took aim at Biden in a tweet, stating, "Fortunately for Biden, there are no anti-war members of Congress left to bother him about this. There are a few left-leaning commentators, who are otherwise loyal to the Democrats, who are making commotion about it, but this will largely proceed without opposition. It appears that Biden is getting away with a great deal without confronting significant opposition from his own party.
Overall, the Biden administration's decision to deliver cluster munitions to Ukraine is a hazardous and irresponsible one. It endangers defenseless civilians and calls into doubt Biden's commitment to peace. We can only hope that someone will challenge this decision in Congress, but given the current state of affairs, this seems unlikely.
