Announcing the cheerful topic of the day: cluster bombs. I hope somebody reads this, because I like to think it’s pretty important. Even if you don’t read what I say, you should at least click on some of the links at the bottom of this post. My aim right now is to provide a summary of the issue in a way that does not sound like any of the academic papers I have turned in over the last four years. Here goes:
Cluster bombs
What is a cluster bomb?
Cluster bombs are a type of munition usually dropped from a plane onto a target. They consist of one large shell that breaks open in the air, releasing thousands of tiny “bomblets” that blanket an area with small explosives.
There are however flaws in their design. The “bomblets”, once released, are effective, but can be inaccurate, with some bomblets blowing off course and away from the intended target. Also, while the bomblets are supposed to explode immediately, they very often do not, leaving the target area littered with tiny landmines.
Who uses cluster bombs?
