In a move that has ignited a wave of controversy, the United States has made the decision to supply Ukraine with cluster munitions, a weapon banned by over 100 countries.
The White House is fully aware of the immense backlash surrounding this cluster munitions decision, considering that 123 countries are signatories to the 2008 International Convention on Cluster Munitions, which explicitly prohibits the use or transfer of this specific weapon.
The decision to provide Ukraine with cluster munitions has sparked unease not only among America's allies but also within the US government itself. Even within the State Department, division persisted regarding the wisdom of supplying this weapon. The longstanding and grim record of cluster bombs has contributed to the apprehension and controversy surrounding this decision.
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Reports from the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor, an organization dedicated to the complete ban of cluster munitions, reveal that globally, civilians represent 97% of cluster munition casualties. Children are disproportionately affected by these deadly weapons. The supply of cluster munitions to Ukraine poses a clear risk to civilian lives, not necessarily in the immediate future, but in the long term, as unexploded cluster bomblets create hazardous legacies on former battlefields worldwide.
One of the significant concerns raised by this decision is that America risks losing the moral high ground against Russia by supplying a weapon banned by the majority of the international community. The rationale behind this supply becomes crucial to understand. The current situation on the ground in Ukraine is not in favor of the country. By providing cluster munitions, the US is signaling that the war is not progressing well for Ukraine.
Ukraine's so-called spring offensive failed to materialize in the spring and is expected to face further setbacks throughout the summer. With conventional artillery supplies dwindling in America and elsewhere, Ukraine finds itself in dire need of a "bridge of supply" to sustain its military efforts.
Proponents of supplying cluster munitions argue that they could significantly shift the momentum on the ground, eliminating heavily fortified Russian troops. While American officials acknowledge the potential for civilian casualties, they contend that the risk of allowing Russia to occupy Ukrainian land poses an even greater threat to civilians.
It's important to note that if Ukraine were to use the munitions on occupied Ukrainian soil, the responsibility for civilian harm would lie with Ukraine. The onus would be on Ukraine, with a pledge of American assistance, to clear unexploded munitions when the war eventually ends.
The decision to supply cluster munitions is part of a larger multi-million dollar effort by the Biden administration to equip Ukraine with the necessary weapons in case the domestic political landscape changes within the next 18 months. The ever-evolving dynamics of American politics leave no guarantees of indefinite support for Ukraine.