Cluster bombs: Biden defends decision to send Ukraine controversial weapons
BBC NewsJul 08, 2023
As the Russia-Ukraine war entered its 500th day on Saturday, the UN's Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) denounced what it described as "the horrendous civilian cost of the war in Ukraine."
While warning that real numbers are likely to be much higher, the agency said it was able to confirm the deaths of more than 9K civilians — including over 500 children — since Russia invaded more than 16 months ago.
This was a very difficult decision for the Biden admin. However, due to the high rate of artillery shells being fired, Ukraine is running out of ammunition. It cannot be left defenseless to face Russia's aggression. This is a necessary move until the US can plug the gap in supplies.
This was a terrible mistake from Biden and his team. Cluster munitions inflict massive destruction on civilians and, if its "bomblets" don't immediately explode, can remain a threat to a population for decades. This move will only ensure that more civilians will die in Ukraine and the US will be to blame.
This move simply underscores how desperate the US is. Rather than acknowledge that Ukraine's offensive is failing, it's doubling down on its plans with dangerous ideas — provocations that draw the world even nearer to a global conflict.
There's an 8% chance that there will be a bilateral cease-fire or peace agreement in the Russo-Ukraine conflict before 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.