US plans to supply Ukraine with cluster munitions, officials say (www.reuters.com)

submitted 1 year ago by NightOwl@lemmy.fmhy.ml to c/worldnews@lemmy.ml

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[-] maporita@lemmy.ml 12 points 1 year ago

Both Russia and Ukraine have been using Soviet-era cluster bombs. Ukraine has asked America to supply dual-purpose improved conventional munitions (DPICM), a class of cluster munition that could be fired from howitzers or from the himarsrocket launchers that Ukraine has been receiving for around a year. They have the added benefit of fewer duds so that risk to future civilian populations is reduced.

[-] Spacebar@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago

Are these bad because they litter the land with unexploded ordinance? Or is there another reason?

[-] NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

That’s my understanding. I recall reading that Ukraine has argued this isn’t much of an issue as the south and East of Ukraine are already littered with a huge amount of UXO and mines so it really doesn’t change the calculus in terms of cleanup.

[-] LeZero@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Yes, since 1979 UXO (mostly cluster munitions there) caused 64000 casualties and 25000 amputations in just Cambodia

Since 1974, 50000 casualties in Laos

This kind of UXO are especially a risk for children

[-] Candelestine@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

... cluster bombs suck. But when the land is already basically one gigantic minefield, whatever.

My apologies to the ghost of Princess Di, she was a nice lady. But this is a war.

[-] Anonymoose@infosec.pub 12 points 1 year ago

It's the next generation of future amputees and casualties that'll bear the weight of these unexploded cluster munitions.

[-] Candelestine@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

Very true.

[-] Sauvandu59@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

not surprised, both side have been using cluster munitions for a while.

[+] Raphael@lemmy.world -20 points 1 year ago

What about supplying food to the starving populations in Africa?

[-] DrDeadCrash@programming.dev 16 points 1 year ago

In Fiscal Year 2021, USAID and the U.S. Department of State provided $8.5 billion of assistance to 47 countries and 8 regional programs in sub-Saharan Africa.

Link

This has nothing to do with aiding underdeveloped African nations, this is about defending Ukrainian sovereignty.

[-] NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago

Good to see the whatabouters are here already.

What if I told you it’s possible to do multiple things at the same time? For example, you were probably breathing while you wrote out this brain dead take.

[+] Raphael@lemmy.world -12 points 1 year ago

Are you telling me the US is working to solve world hunger?

Just the other day they voted in the UN saying food is not a human right!

Who's braindead now, Misses Lib?

[-] NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago

Certainly doing a better job than Russia which is busy destroying the worlds fifth largest grain exporter. See, I can whatabout too!

[-] shottymcb@lemm.ee 10 points 1 year ago

The US is the largest provider of international food aid by an absurd margin.

[+] Raphael@lemmy.world -7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Quick OpenAI query indicates the following.

Among the top 10 countries that have received the most food aid from the USA, 7 have large debts and all 10 are right-wing and all 10 have a history of suppressing left-wing politics.

"Aid"

[-] kmkz_ninja@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

"Sorry places that need more help because their governments are corrupt, we're going to help out the rising democracies that have fresh water and decent electricity instead, sorry!"

[-] Raphael@lemmy.world -4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Aid is aid, you give food to the poor and ask for nothing else, that's what aid is.

Aid as in, I give you food and then you promise to kick any communists you see in the balls, that is not aid. That's just buying influence, it's America's Plan A against anything red. Plan B is coup and Plan C is bombs.

EDIT: Couldn't come up with a reply so he just downvoted and ran away!

[-] kmkz_ninja@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Lmao there are at least 5 peaople that decided to downvote you befpre I even read your response.

Do you think the people that are actually able to make use of the aid America sends cares about the geopolitical ramifications of the aid they are receiving? Charity is always a stunt, be it for your personal moral gratitude or for politcal gain; I'm not sure the recipients of said aid are all too concerned about the reasons they get their anti-malarial drugs this week, or the effectiveness of the propaganda in being able to charge their laptops this week.

[-] randomtask@lemmy.sdf.org 9 points 1 year ago

“Whataboutism” is a logical fallacy that presents a counter-accusation in lieu of the question being discussed. What you present here is a textbook definition. The topic is the US’s involvement in supplying Ukraine with a specific type of munition, and not the broader question of how the US allocates its money generally.