I am deeply disappointed by this news. As much as I'm sympathetic to the Ukrainian cause, the use of cluster bombs (that kill civilians for years after they are dropped) is by definition a war crime.
Ukraine shouldn't be using them, and the US shouldn't be providing them.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/06/russia-ukraine-cluster-bombs-biden-human-rights-watch
@jmb
While I do share your concern, one also need to consider:
1. Don't judge the Ukrainians without having 'walked a mile in their shoes.'
2. Formally and technically, they have not signed the conventions that forbid them to use these weapons.
3. They are not likely to use it on civilians, but on invading soldiers in limited areas that can be cleared afterwards.
Its more problematic with invading Russians randomly using illegal weapons they are legally bound not to use, against civilians.
Re 1 - Good point. My judgment is primarily aimed at the US. I don't vote or pay taxes in Ukraine. I do in the US, and hence have a moral obligation to speak out about it.
Re 2. Another good point.
Re 3. I agree that Ukraine is unlikely to use these weapons on civilian populations. --- Where I disagree is about what happens after the war. If past history repeats itself (from other wars), these weapons will be exploding for years after they were dropped. This is the big issue.
@jmb
Re 3, look at pictures from Ukraine. Large areas are totally covered with small craters. That is also where you will find the unexploded bombs, statistically speaking.
If they know which areas they shoot cluster bombs at, they know where to clean up afterwards.
The big picture is that nobody knows where all the conventional, unexploded Russian bombs are. Bombs aimed at civilians.
In Europe, we still find unexploded, unstable bombs from WWII on a weekly basis, if not more frequently.
James M Branum - יעקב מתתיהו ☮
Anders Christensen