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Conventional weapons threaten human security. Small arms alone kill an estimated half a million people each year. Indiscriminate weapons such as cluster bombs and landmines kill and injure thousands more and contaminate the land, endangering people even after conflicts end.
Since September 11, 2001, the U.S. government has increased military assistance to secure the cooperation of other governments with its counterterrorism agenda. In many cases, the governments receiving the weapons and training have committed egregious human rights violations.
FCNL informs Congress and the general public about the short- and long-term dangers posed by the use and transfer of weapons and lobbies Congress to exercise greater responsibility.
Find Out More
More than 100 Countries Ban Cluster Bombs
More than half the world's governments agreed in late May to a treaty banning the production, use, stockpiling, and export of all existing cluster munitions.
The United States did not participate, but several U.S. senators support the treaty. Urge your senators to support the Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act (S. 594).
Cluster Bomb Olympics Highlight Global Treaty Negotiations
On May 19, two days before the cluster bomb treaty negotiations began in Dublin, Ireland, people from heavily bombed countries joined concerned people outside the White House to protest the absence of the U.S. government from the talks.
The 1st Annual Cluster Bomb Olympics featured speakers from Laos, Lebanon, and Ethiopia, as well as Ralph Nader.
Participants played a series of lawn games, such as bocce bomb.
Find out how to hold your own cluster bomb Olympics.
Pentagon Seeks Exemption from Human Rights Restrictions
The Bush administration is asking Congress to approve a new, permanent program that could greatly increase U.S. military aid to foreign countries and exempt that aid from restrictions intended to make sure the U.S. is not involved in human rights abuses.
We at FCNL oppose this open-ended authority. Read a coalition letter that FCNL signed urging Congress to reject granting this authority.
Reviewed:
06/23/2008
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