Should the US ban the use of land mines

[Duty Honor Country]

Once again the US refuses to ban the use of landmines

US urges ban on antitank mines, but will shun Nairobi talks

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States, stung by insurgent attacks in Iraq, has urged the international community to consider banning all sales of antitank and other heavy landmines, but ruled out its participation in an international conference on mines designed to hurt primarily people.

Members of the so-called Ottawa Convention will gather in Nairobi, Kenya, Sunday to review implementation of the 1997 accord that bans use, development, production, stockpiling and transfer of antipersonnel landmines.

As many as 143 nations have signed up to the accord, which took effect in March 1999.

But a group of 42 countries, led by the United States, Russia and China, have refused, citing the need to protect their troops in various theaters of deployment...
READ MORE
-------------------------------------

Should the US ban landmines?

 

[Darcia]

The USA has many ways of removing Landmines afterwards if they want too, However they are right in the fact they may need to use them in defense of thier own troops. I would say it depends on where they use them also, they shouldn't use them in city areas

 

[Lupos]

Can't say I agree, I think that land mines should go the way of the trebuchet (I think it's spelled like that) and just stop being produced.

 

[Darcia]

Even if they are stopped in production thier are still Millions of them that can be used.

 

[A Can of Man]

I'd say don't ban it. Just stop using it. Last thing you want is yet another rule to hold you back and it may become a problem with some future weapons if indeed they are classified as "mines."

 

[Shadowalker]

Are the mines left in places like cambodia mainly anti-tank or -personel mines? Which ones are most responsible for maiming the people living there now?

 

[EuroSpike]

"US urges ban on antitank mines, but will shun Nairobi talks"

Antitank mine ban would be a superior stupidness.

Why to ban landmines? It is only a defence weapon and threatens only possible invader. Do storaged landmines form a real danger?

Just change the names on mine boxes in storage and all MINES just disappear. 8)

 

[Doc.S]

I dont think anyone else will take them away and one more thing - Sweden that has this stupid -anti-landmine- thing are/have constructing some of this worlds best landmine clear up machinery that exsist today. 8) However that wont help this army that soon will be on a art museum too if this country stick to the partys ruling this place.


LINK:

http://www.swedec.mil.se/photo.php?id=82984&nid=24289


http://www.swedec.mil.se/photo.php?id=43855&nid=13907


Cheers:
Doc.S
:viking:

 

[beardo]

a quote that seems appropriate to this discussion

''a Landmine stays on duty long after the soldier does''

meaning that once the war is over what happens? does the army that buried them go and dig every single one of them up? or do they leave them to blow up children years yater?

 

[EuroSpike]

a quote that seems appropriate to this discussion

''a Landmine stays on duty long after the soldier does''

meaning that once the war is over what happens? does the army that buried them go and dig every single one of them up? or do they leave them to blow up children years yater?

Primary goal is to defend against invader and after-war mineproblems are the smallest thing to be concerned about.

Minefields are marked on maps to informate their position to own troops and that way to prevent own troops to walk into minefields. Maps are also useful when seeking and disarming deployed minefields after war.

 

[Shadowalker]

If you use mines in your own country then they pretty much are a big deal as once the war is over it could be your kid, who doesnt have a map of the minefield who steps onto a mine and has her leg shredded from her body.

 

[Darcia]

The USA and the EU have alot of weapons that can be used to remove landmines. The nations they are in now the nations realy aren't doing that much to take care of them. They just leave them. and if they are doing anything it is a slow progress because of lack of funding.

 

[godofthunder9010]

Why officially ban something that, regardless of official positions, is guaranteed to be used in any future war by the opposite side??

 

[EuroSpike]

If you use mines in your own country then they pretty much are a big deal as once the war is over it could be your kid, who doesnt have a map of the minefield who steps onto a mine and has her leg shredded from her body.

Shit happens but i see defence much more important than someone random invidual's legs. Landmines are mostly used to prevent enemy using area and to flank own troops in defence positions. Minefields surely slow enemy advance and have the psychological effect too. Would you watch your steps if you knew that it is possible to step on mine?

Landmines are very useful to protect anti tank mines and make it more difficult to go and disarm them. They also fit booby trap use.

In guerilla warfare very suitable "door bell" to protect querilla base where guerillas taking rest, and when retreating after a strike are landmines useful to just let them behind for pursuiting enemy.

Cheap multipurpose weapon wich use is limited only by user's imagination. Banned or not exploding parts of the mines aren't banned anyway and so aren't detonators. It is still possible to combine some if really needed 8)

 

[EuroSpike]

And landmine ban leads only to use of home made landmines wich are even more cruel. Some C4 or TNT combined with bicycle or chainsaw's chain, nails and other small metal stuff. 8)

Pipemine m/68 and all life end in 15m radius 8)

 

[Darcia]

Why officially ban something that, regardless of official positions, is guaranteed to be used in any future war by the opposite side??

That is the honest truth, even if you ban something in your nation the enemy's nation may have not banned it.

 

[USAOwnz]

Why officially ban something that, regardless of official positions, is guaranteed to be used in any future war by the opposite side??

Exactly!

 

[egoz]

Why officially ban something that, regardless of official positions, is guaranteed to be used in any future war by the opposite side??

Exactly!

that's the same way i see it. but usually things like that are more symbolic. they are a pretty nasty weapon when the war is over. so if anything i still think we should try to clean up the areas where landmines are a serious threat to the civilians population.

 

[USAOwnz]

Why officially ban something that, regardless of official positions, is guaranteed to be used in any future war by the opposite side??

Exactly!

that's the same way i see it. but usually things like that are more symbolic. they are a pretty nasty weapon when the war is over. so if anything i still think we should try to clean up the areas where landmines are a serious threat to the civilians population.

Yeah cleaning it all up would be a great idea. However, we should make sure our enemy does not use them.

 

[Missileer]

Land Mines

Land mines are just one more horror of war that will never go away so we need to continue the research on mine detection and destruction. Most mines have a drawback, they have to be close to the surface making them more detectable with low frequency radar similar to sonar. Even the plastic composite ones can be detected by using a "signature" recognition in comparative flash memory. Some companies are producing ground penetrating radar for hunting for anomalies such as buried treasure and even human remains. I have some hope for the technology. As I wrote, just like nuclear weapons, mines will always be used by someone, ban or not.