We are in a society where those in power rewrite history on a drastic scale.

Just as foretold by the classic George Orwell novel "1984", distortions of reality abound. Let me cite just one recent example of how this evil present in our tribal authority structure manifests itself.

Take cluster bombs for example. During the recent invasion of the sovereign nation state of Lebanon by the military forces of the state of Israel, this munition was deployed in ways that contradict the arrangement set out by President Reagan specifically binding Israel in an international arms supplier arrangement. There were many provisions in this agreement but a key understanding was they could not be used in civilian areas and under any scenario only against a force operating under a foreign government as a uniformed military wing. An unfathomable number of these were deployed during the invasion. Irony of ironies, a request from the Israeli's to resupply them came before the congress while the Israeli military operation was underway. This was as it has been legislated due to oversight responsibilities entrusted to Congress to ensure appropriate use of these devastatingly lethal weapons. Even better, it had a rider attached praying for expedited handling as it seems they had depleted their stocks...

Older stocks of cluster bombs had been dropped on the civilian areas of Lebanon. The problem with cluster bombs that makes them so despicable is that not all of the individual bomblets explode at the initial impact. The failure rate increases with the age of the shell.

Now comes CNN with their story that quotes State Department spokesman Sean McCormick saying "There may -- likely could have been some violations..." while "The United Nations Mine Action Coordination Center of South Lebanon estimates 1 million unexploded cluster munitions remain scattered in southern Lebanon." To put a clear face on the hell for children that has been created there, the U.N. mine office has said it had found hundreds of bomblets of the types made by the United States among unexploded ordnance recovered in nearly 250 locations in southern Lebanon.

You see the problem with cluster bombs used in civilian areas is that unexploded "bomblets" look like playthings. It is the kids that are hurt by these things in the greatest numbers. This is irresponsible on Israels part. I say, no matter what you may think of Hezbollah please suffer the children.

By the way, cluster bombing in civilian areas also has been done in Iraq, which come to think of it could explain the need for the revisionist history by our State Department. State Department spokesman McCormack said the notification to Congress will occur Monday, but that a final determination about whether Israel violated the agreements on use of cluster bombs is still being debated. Let's see what our newly ethical Congress does with this one, shall we?

Update: Nations urged to ban cluster bombs February 22, 2007...



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