US Democrats Condemn Biden's Decision to Supply Cluster Munitions to Ukraine

The White House announcement on Friday drew opposition from a number of House Democrats, including Pennsylvania Representative Chrissy Houlahan, who argued that the decision could undermine America's perceived moral high ground.

"A victory for Ukraine is an essential victory for democracies across the globe, but that victory cannot come at the expense of our American values and thus democracy itself," said Houlahan, an Air Force veteran and co-chair of a congressional caucus on unexploded ordnance, RT reported.

Cluster bombs are equipped with smaller explosive submunitions that scatter across a target area, often used against infantry and lightly armored vehicles. However, due to the risk of leaving undetonated 'duds' that can remain active for decades in former conflict zones, more than 120 nations, including a majority of NATO members, have banned the weapon.

Although the United States has not joined the international Convention on Cluster Munitions, legislation passed in 2009 prohibits the export of cluster bombs with a 'dud' rate exceeding 1%, which applies to most of the US stockpile. The White House, however, has the authority to waive this restriction at any time.

Addressing concerns over cluster bombs during a Pentagon briefing, press secretary Patrick Ryder assured that the military would carefully select the munitions to be sent. He stated, "Any transfer would not include older variants with dud rates that are higher than 2.35 percent," which surpasses the limit set by Congress.

Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts also expressed doubt about the decision to supply cluster weapons to Kiev, pointing out that these bombs can cause harm to civilians long after a conflict has ended. He noted that while Washington, Moscow, and Kiev have not signed the cluster bomb treaty, numerous US allies have already banned the munitions.

Democrats Ilhan Omar and Sara Jacobs have announced plans to introduce legislation that would completely ban the transfer of cluster bombs as part of foreign military assistance. Jacobs argued that such weapons could hinder Ukraine's economic rebuilding and recovery, as well as its efforts to combat corruption and join NATO.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan acknowledged the risk of civilian harm from unexploded ordnance caused by cluster munitions but defended the decision, explaining that it had been delayed as long as possible. Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl declined to disclose the number of bombs to be provided to Ukraine but confirmed the existence of "hundreds of thousands" in US stockpiles.

The use of cluster munitions was called out by a spokesperson for the UN secretary-general on Friday, coinciding with the US announcement of supplying artillery shells of this type to Ukraine. The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, supports the Convention on Cluster Munitions and desires adherence to its terms, aiming to prevent the continued use of these munitions on the battlefield.

The White House has confirmed the inclusion of cluster munitions in the latest batch of military supplies for Ukraine. The Ukrainian army, which has been engaged in heavy fighting for a month, views this delivery as having an extraordinary psycho-emotional impact on Russian troops.

One of the reasons cited by the Pentagon for providing dual-purpose improved conventional munitions (DPICM) was the shortage of conventional 155mm artillery rounds available for Ukraine. Human Rights Watch and other organizations have voiced objections to the plan, emphasizing the high rate of unexploded ordnance associated with cluster bombs, which continues to pose a threat to civilians for years.

The Convention on Cluster Munitions, which came into effect in August 2010, requires signatories to "never under any circumstances" use, develop, produce, or transfer these banned munitions or assist others in doing so. To date, it has been ratified by 111 states, including most NATO members, but not by the United States, Ukraine, or Russia.