Israel claims use of cluster bombs in Lebanon 'legal'

Based on a report in the New York Times and other sources, this article adds further background drawn from UN publications, as well as analysis from Human Rights Watch and criticism published in a U.S. Air Force University publication that argued Israel’s “shock and awe” tactics were a failure, both tactically and on humanitarian grounds.

Israel made a dubious declaration yesterday when it’s military said it’s use of cluster bombs was legal and not used against civilians. According to the New York Times the Israeli Army chief investigator Maj. Gen. Gershon Hacohen concluded, “the majority of the cluster munitions were fired at open and uninhabited areas, areas from which Hezbollah forces operated and in which no civilians were present.”

This is course flies in the face of credulity. The United Nations and Human rights organizations have been vocal and united in condemning Israel’s use of cluster bomb munitions during the Israeli War on Lebanon sparked by Israeli’s operating near the South Lebanon border in 2006. The vast majority of which was dropped during the last 72 hours of the aggression when a settlement was clearly imminent. Many believe it was simply collective punishment to the civilians of Lebanon by Israel, and a prominent American Air Force University report has concluded much the same.

Posted by Beagle17
"RSS here": http://feeds.feedburner.com/GnnBeagle17 Grew up in Nova Scotia. Hold BSc. in Biology and Grad. Diploma Journalism. Moved to Korea in 1997, and Taiwan in 1999. Currently teaching, writing, and doing Web design. Concerned about depleted...

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