Cluster Bomb Ban: Treaty Comes into Force without U.S.

On August 1, the global treaty to ban the production of cluster munitions took effect for the 37 countries that have already ratified the agreement. More than 100 countries that have signed the treaty to date will ultimately be required to also dispose of any remaining stockpiles of these weapons and pay to clear areas contaminated by these indiscriminant munitions that pose a danger to civilians during and after the conflict.

Although the United States refused to sign the treaty, lobbying by FCNL and other groups led Congress to ban the exports of these weapons and the Pentagon to essentially ban use.

Why Ban Cluster Bombs?

“You’d ban them for sure, if you had them here.”
~ Soraj Ghulam Habib, 17, who lost both legs after picking up a cluster submunition in a park in Herat, Afghanistan when he was ten.

Watch this video and imagine if we had landmines and cluster submunitions littering our parks and soccer fields.

You’d demand a ban on these weapons, for sure.


Urge President Obama to Ban Cluster Bombs

When 95 nations were signing the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Oslo, Norway in December, the Obama Transition Team promised that the next president would “carefully review the new treaty.” Now that Obama has taken office, leaders of 67 national groups are calling for the President to take a fresh look at this treaty—as well as the global ban on landmines. You can help, too! Urge President Obama to ban cluster bombs and landmines.

Cluster bomb survivors are seek a meeting with President Obama, and urging him to complete a balanced treaty review. Read the letter (PDF).

U.S. Cluster Bombs Kill Civilians and U.S. Soldiers

In the past decade, the United States has used cluster bombs in civilian-populated areas of the former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Cluster bombs pose a danger to civilians during and after conflict, since malfunctioning bomblets scatter over a wide area and leave behind minefields. During the 1991 Gulf War, U.S.- dropped cluster submunitions were the single most deadly weapon encountered by U.S. troops.

Stay Informed

Read the Human Right's Watch article about the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

See a list of countries that signed the treaty, and read about why the U.S. won't sign it.

See what else the press is saying about cluster bombs.

Check out the tour blog and media coverage of the tour.