Biden Commits To Controversial Cluster Bomb Aid To Ukraine
In a move that has sparked both condemnation and praise, Joe Biden confirmed that the U.S. would supply Ukraine with cluster munitions, a weapon system banned by most NATO alliance members due to their track record of causing widespread civilian casualties. Despite severe humanitarian concerns, Biden rationalizes this step as necessary to support an ally facing aggression.
Despite the controversy, Biden justified this action by stating, “The Ukrainians are running out of ammunition.”
The move contrasts sharply with statements made by former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who in 2022 said the administration considered Russia’s use of the munitions as a possible “war crime,” thus spotlighting blatant hypocrisy in the administration’s policies.
The decision to supply cluster munitions to Ukraine seems to undermine the global effort to ban these indiscriminate weapons, which have been declared illegal by 111 nations in the Convention on Cluster Munitions. However, the U.S., Russia and Ukraine did not sign the treaty.
Mary Wareham with Human Rights Watch criticized the decision, stating, “The U.S. government should not be providing cluster munitions to any country due to the foreseeable and lasting harm to civilians from these weapons.” Wareham’s concern resonates with the reality that most cluster munitions in current stocks are at least 20 years old and are notorious for their high failure rates, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
In contrast, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan argued that the cluster munitions the U.S. will be providing have failure rates “far below” that of the munitions Russia is using, explaining that the “dud rate” on American cluster munitions given to Ukraine will top out at 2.5%. Sullivan’s statements further underline the selective justification of supplying a weapon criticized for its potential to harm civilians.
Former National Security Adviser John Bolton defended the move, calling it “an excellent idea,” stating that Biden should have made the decision sooner. Bolton underscored that cluster munitions are effective at “protecting our troops and impeding the enemy” and added that the Ukrainians specifically requested them.
Despite these attempted justifications, it’s clear that the decision has raised substantial humanitarian concerns. While supporting allies in times of need is crucial, the long-term implications of this decision on civilian lives and international arms control norms have been sidelined.
