Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Israel Used Poor-Quality American-Made Cluster Bombs Against Lebanon To Save Money

The Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reports:
Israel made use of American-made cluster bombs that left behind thousands of unexploded bomblets [this summer in Lebanon], even though Israel Military Industries produces cluster bombs that leave nearly no unexploded munitions.
According to Ha'aretz,
The cluster bombs constitute the number one humanitarian problem facing Lebanon after the war because many of the bomblets remain unexploded and as duds, they have turned into make-shift mines, converting towns, villages and fields into undeclared minefields. Since the cease-fire went into effect on August 14, at least 14 civilians, including many children, have been killed by the unexploded bomblets.
The reason given for the use of the inferior American-made cluster bombs was "budgetary":
Israel uses military aid funds to purchase cluster bombs from the U.S., and in order to buy IMI-made bombs, the Israel Defense Forces would have to dip into its own budget.