Did you know that this country has become the biggest nation to ban “dumb” cluster bombs.? And why.? Because they kill and maim people.

Odd that. I mean, when you build a little ball of metal with a load of explosives and a detonator inside you obviously only do it to worry people (unless you happen to be, A, Muslim, B, on trial for a failed suicide bombing attempt and C, purely stupid). Ok i see that after a war, cluster munitions used indiscriminately as well as landmines, maybe left behind to blow the limbs off of small children and farmers, but as far as I can tell there has to be more to it than that.

For instance, as usual we are banning something because it is “bad”, when we aren’t the problem. The biggest users of landmines tend to be third world nations who, when it comes to human rights, have as a lot in common with the United States. They simply could not give a gnat’s chuff whether little Mussabi loses both legs or his elderly grandad has his pelvis catapulted vertically through his skull. I think it would be a pretty safe bet to say that Western nations have given them the damn things in the first place but even so.

Weapons are designed to be dangerous. If you are whapping along in a GR3 Tornado on a SEAD (suppression of enemy air defences) mission, taking out anti-aircraft missile or gun vehicles, you really don’t want to be worrying that the bombs you are about to drop might not blow the thing up. It is vital that a bomb works 100% of the time otherwise people get hurt (yes I see the irony in that statement but I am sure you know what I mean).

Ok so throwing a load of JP233 anti-runway munitions into a school playground isn’t going to be a great idea, no matter who you are fighting for. But they have an important use. What next.? Anti-radiation missiles like the HARM, Shrike or StandardARM, which lock onto radar sources banned because they “eavesdrop” (do radar systems have rights).? Or maybe a ban on Tomahawk missiles as they don’t file official flight plans.!

Lets face it, if someone gets a leg blown off in Cambodia, I am not going to be that bothered. Human suffering can be much worse, for instance, they could live in Australia, or Cardiff, and if I am totally honest I am never touched by pictures of maimed children on the TV anyway. Puppies maybe, but never children. Weird.!

Oh well… on a different note…

My favourite quote from Janet of “Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps”…

“Gaz, you probably encouraged him so you deserve you be pissed on by all five members of the Grumbleweeds.”

Great stuff.!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 21st, 2007 at 11:57 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.