Russia using cluster bombs and humanitarian efforts for children…
I realize Glass City Jungle focuses mainly on local issues, but there are times when I get emails from people who would like me to blog about a certain issue or share links. If I were focusing on the international stories like I used to before GCJ was created, some of these stories would be ones that I would focus on in more depth.
One recent email was about Survivor Corps and their effort to bring attention to Russia using cluster bombs in Georgia. This has been confirmed by Human Rights Watch. If you’d like to help Survivor Corps, they are asking you to sign their petition and to contact your Congressional representatives, more information about their effort is available on their website.
Another email was about International Medical Corps being selected as one of the Top 25 in American Express’ Members Projects, ‘Saving the Lives of Malnourished Children.’ There is a link to vote, which does require that you create a log in but you do not have to have an American Express card. You can see the top 25 complete list the top five organizations voted on will receive a portion of the 2.5 million dollar amount set aside by American Express, the number one ranked organization will receive 1.5 million dollars.
Two easy ways for you to make a difference…right here from your computer.
It has also been reported, although not by the “normal mainstream US media”, that the U.S. has also used cluster bombs in Iraq.
September 19th, 2008 at 8:35 amNormal media?
USA Today is pretty normal?
“Cluster bombs kill in Iraq, even after shooting ends”
BAGHDAD — The little canisters dropped onto the city, white ribbons trailing behind. They clattered into streets, landed in lemon trees, rattled around on roofs, settled onto lawns.
Shahad Thaer Mustafa, 5, stands in front of her Baghdad home where her uncle was killed by a cluster bomblet.
By Jack Gruber, USA TODAY
When Jassim al-Qaisi saw the canisters the size of D batteries falling on his neighborhood just before 7 a.m. April 7, he laughed and asked himself: “Now what are the Americans throwing on our heads?” (Interactive graphic: How a cluster bomb works and more)
The strange objects were fired by U.S. artillery outside Baghdad as U.S. forces approached the Iraqi capital. In the span of a few minutes, they would kill four civilians in the al-Dora neighborhood of southern Baghdad and send al-Qaisi’s teenage son to the hospital with metal fragments in his foot. ”
“U.S. Using Cluster Munitions In Iraq
(Washington, D.C., April 1, 2003) – U.S. ground forces in Iraq are using cluster munitions with a very high failure rate, creating immediate and long-term dangers for civilians and friendly soldiers, Human Rights Watch reported today.
” The United States should not be using these weapons. Iraqi civilians will be paying the price with their lives and limbs for many years. ”
Steve Goose
Executive Director of the Arms Division of Human Rights Watch
Landmines in Iraq: Questions and Answers
Background Briefing, April 1, 2003
Cluster Munitions a Foreseeable Hazard in Iraq
Background Briefing, March 18, 2003
While use of the weapon has not yet been confirmed by official U.S. military sources, it is evident from television images and stories from reporters embedded with U.S. units that U.S. forces are using artillery projectiles and rockets containing large numbers of submunitions, or cluster munitions. When these submunitions fail to explode on impact as designed, they become hazardous explosive “duds”—functioning like volatile, indiscriminate antipersonnel landmines. ”
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2003/04/01/usint5475.htm
September 19th, 2008 at 10:10 amI think Jeff meant more recently than 2003…
September 19th, 2008 at 12:31 pmOh,
How about this, then;
“US uses cluster bombs in Sadr City
Sun, 27 Apr 2008 05:48:10 GMT
US used cluster bombs in Baghdad’s Sadr City.
An Iraqi member of parliament has revealed that the US forces have used forbidden weapons against Iraqi civilians in Baghdad’s Sadr City. ”
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=53346§ionid=351020201
Coverage of events like this and the images of the car bombings and attacks inside Iraq have dwindled down because photo journalists are not being granted access.
Editor & Publisher reports that the Iraqi government “will soon routinely ban journalists from the sites of bombings and other violent incidents.” Iraq’s Interior Ministry Operations Director said the ban was not “a curtailment of press freedom,” and is needed “to protect journalists,” to safeguard evidence, to deny terrorists “information that they achieved their goals,” and to respect human rights, “by not photographing dead bodies.”
http://www.prwatch.org/node/6046
September 19th, 2008 at 12:44 pmWhat I meant is that our government isn’t lilly-white in the use of unethical weapons.
Once again, I don’t know the entire story of the Georgia/Russia conflict. What I did hear, is that the Georgian president poked Russia in the eye and Russia kicked their ass. The Georgian president expected help from the West and didn’t get it.
No sooner did Russia start pounding them and our government starts talking about “how bad Russia is”.
In my mind, the days of the U.S. telling other countries “that’s naughty” are long gone. They can’t be trusted.
And also, in my humble opinion, that is very, very sad.
September 19th, 2008 at 3:11 pm[...] Russia using cluster bombs and humanitarian efforts for children… via Glass City Jungle [...]
September 24th, 2008 at 12:44 pm[...] Russia using cluster bombs and humanitarian efforts for children… via Glass City Jungle [...]
September 24th, 2008 at 2:13 pm[...] Russia using cluster bombs and humanitarian efforts for children… via Glass City Jungle [...]
September 24th, 2008 at 3:06 pmThank you so much for blogging on this important message Lisa! The good news is that by voting, IMC made the top 5 of the AMEX give-away. The voting starts again from scratch and lasts until October 14th when the winner will be announced. So if you can vote or repost that would be amazing. I will be making a new social media news release with banners, widgets, etc and will be reaching out to everyone again later this week. Thanks again!
October 1st, 2008 at 6:30 pm[...] Russia using cluster bombs and humanitarian efforts for children… via Glass City Jungle. [...]
October 14th, 2008 at 9:56 pm[...] Russia using cluster bombs and humanitarian efforts for children… via Glass City Jungle. [...]
October 17th, 2008 at 6:17 am