Have you noticed that Tasini button over on the right of this page? Here is a reminder of why it's there:
An unexploded bomblet from a cluster bomb marked by the UN in a field near the village of El Maalliye in southern Lebanon. (AP) [source]
Clinton Joins with Republicans to Reject Limits on Cluster Bombs
The Senate on Wednesday rejected a move by Democrats to stop the Pentagon from using cluster bombs near civilian targets and to cut off sales unless purchasers abide by the same rules.On a 70-30 vote, the Senate defeated an amendment to a Pentagon budget bill to block use of the deadly munitions near populated areas. The vote came after the State Department announced last month that it is investigating whether Israel misused American-made cluster bombs in civilian areas of Lebanon.
Unexploded cluster bombs anti-personnel weapons that spray bomblets over a wide area litter homes, gardens and highways in south Lebanon after Israel's 34-day war with Hezbollah militants.
Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., have long sought to keep cluster bombs from being used near concentrated areas of civilians. They say that as many as 40 percent of the munitions fail to detonate on impact they can still can explode later leaving innocent civilians and children vulnerable to injury or death long after hostilities have ceased.
Relief organizations and the United Nations Mine Action Coordination Center reported finding evidence that Israel used three types of U.S.-made cluster bombs during the war with Hezbollah militants. Israel also manufactures its own cluster munitions.
"For too long, innocent civilians, not enemy combatants, have suffered the majority of casualties from cluster munitions," Leahy said. "The recent experience in Lebanon is only the latest example of the appalling human toll of injury and death. Strict rules of engagement are long overdue."
The AP story doesn't mention that Clinton and Schumer voted with Republicans on the bill. I had to get that information from Tasini's web site. The roll call vote is here.
The New York Democratic Party primary is this Tuesday. Don't forget to vote!
Related: Daniel Millstone at Daily Gotham on cluster bombs in Lebanon.
I know who's getting my vote on Tuesday. The list of Dems voting with the Republicans on this was a little surprising. There were the usual suspects, but then a few that I really didn't expect or understand. What do they get out of voting this way?