Today's headline from the Sydney Morning Herald:
"Australia baulks at cluster bomb ban.
THE Australian Government is frustrating attempts by the international community to ban cluster bombs, blamed for killing and maiming thousands of civilians.
Talks are being held in Dublin to thrash out a treaty that would completely wipe out the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions among the 109 potential signatories.
France and Britain have announced their intention to ban weapons that cause "unacceptable harm" but a group of countries including Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Japan and the Netherlands are pushing for an exemption clause on joint operations with states outside the treaty that may use cluster bombs."
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/australia-baulks-at-cluster-bomb-ban/2008/05/24/1211183186925.htmlWhat a disappointment - I don't believe anything can possibly ever
justify the deployment of cluster bombs, not least because those so
often on the receiving end are children. This is a weasel act by the
Australian Government, and all too reminiscent of the Howard years.
GetUp! is circulating a petition against the Australian stand, so if
anybody else feels that Australia should be taking a different stand
on this, please sign on.
http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/BanTheBombs&id=346