NationStates Jolt Archive


Cluster Munitions Act Proposal No. 3

Aivres
06-07-2008, 15:54
Having carefully analyzed the criticism raised during previous attempts to get this resolution passed in the WA, the government of QA has crafted a new proposal and wishes to put it before you for further discussion on its improvement.

Cluster Munition Act

Category: Global Disarmament, Strength: Significant, Proposed by: The Queendom of Aivres

Description: A cluster munition is a dispenser that contains any number of submunitions, intended to affect a vast target area. A container can contain biological, chemical, explosive or gas charges. A submunition that contains charges of other nature is not a cluster munition. Advanced cluster munitions have a guidance system and a fail safe mechanism, while simple ones do not.

ACKNOWLEDGING that simple cluster munition accounts for a great number of civilian casualties in conflicts,

NOTING that any survivors usually become invalids or otherwise severely disabled,

REGRETTING especially the high numbers of children that sadly are affected by these weapons,

AGREEING that this is a totally inhumane and unacceptable means of war in this day and age, particularly after the introduction of precision guided weaponry,

We, the members of the WA hereby

1)PROHIBIT the use of simple cluster munition during wars involving WA signatories, effective immediately.

2)BAN the production, stockpiling, sharing or otherwise acquiring or transferring of simple cluster munition among WA member states, effective one (1) year from date of ratification.

3)DEMAND an immediate start of upgrading of simple cluster munition to meet advanced standards or, if for any reason impossible, destruction of all simple cluster munition existing today among WA members, effective five (5) years from date of ratification.
Urgench
06-07-2008, 21:52
The government of the emperor of Urgench welcomes the proposal of the ambassador for Aivres' proposed resolution, cluster munitions do seem to have many terrible unintended consiquences for civilians.

Our only concern is with the last provision, could the fazing out of use of these munitions for poorer nations be staged in tranches over an agreed longer period?

Regardless of this small concern, should this resolution come to vote we will very likely vote for it.

yours e.t.c.
Wierd Anarchists
06-07-2008, 22:01
I love to see the commitment to get a proposal against cluster munition in a resolution.
But I think this version became so mild that it will not be worth the effort.

Why?
Advanced cluster munitions with a guidance system and a fail safe mechanism. Still the detonations are around 95%. You know what it means when you lay a carpet of 1,000 cluster bombs with 400 little bombs inside? Than 20,000 bombs will lay waiting for victims for the next 100 years. And the victims will be mostly farmers and children.
And when all nations will upgrade their old supplies in these advanced cluster munitions bombs that will cost much money.
And when this proposal will become resolution, people can think advanced cluster bombs are OK, it is approved. So maybe more nations will use them.
Technically these things can never be made totally safe after the war.

In RL luckily much nations (almost whole NATO) just made an agreement to stop with these madness and to declare stockpiles and use illegal and they will stop working together in wars with nations who will use the cluster munitions.

Let us in NationStates not walk behind, but be faster, smarter and more effective.

====
What is wrong with this proposal:

Cluster Munition Act
Global Disarmament, Strong

A cluster munition is a dispenser that contains any number of submunitions, intended to affect a vast target area. A container can contain biological, chemical, explosive or gas charges. A submunition that contains charges of other nature is not a cluster munition.
ACKNOWLEDGING that cluster munition accounts for a great number of civilian casualties in conflicts, even years after the end of the conflict,
NOTING that any survivors usually become invalids or otherwise severely disabled,
REGRETTING especially the high numbers of children that sadly are affected by these weapons,

AGREEING that this is a totally inhumane and unacceptable means of war in this day and age, particularly after the introduction of precision guided weaponry,

We, the members of the WA hereby

1)PROHIBIT the use of cluster munition during wars involving WA signatories, effective immediately.

2)BAN the production, stockpiling, sharing or otherwise acquiring or transferring of cluster munition among WA member states, effective one (1) year from date of ratification.

3)DEMAND an immediate start of destruction of all simple cluster munition existing today among WA members, effective five (3) years from date of ratification.

====
It is shorter, easier to obtain and better than the ones you already proposed. The last one version two got 72 signatures with PR to around 400 WA delegates. I think more delegates will approve this one. We have a start of 72 delegates already (I have made a list list and I know some more who will support this strong one). Sadly this weak my government has a big conference on the seaside. But next weak I can go for telegramming 400 or sop delegates. And maybe we get some good ideas from this forum.

I think the WA doesn't need weak resolutions in these times where so much grief is on the population. If this strong proposal will became a resolution we WA nations know when there will be wars between WA nations, casualties will not fall after the war. And we have enough warfare to fight wars. And if some rogue nations think we are weak without cluster munition and they try to attack us with theirs, we can (and should) unite against such rogue attacks.

Greetings,
Cocoamok
WA delegate for Intelligentsia Islands
Wierd Anarchists
06-07-2008, 22:15
Our only concern is with the last provision, could the fazing out of use of these munitions for poorer nations be staged in tranches over an agreed longer period?
yours e.t.c.

I do think that poorer nations are not so likely to use much cluster munitions. Why?
To put all those tiny explosives in one is a delicate process.
If my amendment of the proposal will be picked up it will be the cheapest one. Because upgrading the simple cluster munitions to expensive smart ones is only possible for rich nations. I think the battlefield will be made more even. Rich nations do use much technology, poor nations much soldiers. Rich people do not like to go to war, they have much to loose. But I am open to better arguments.

I hope the government of the emperor of Urgench will give more input to get this proposal working. I also hope his proposal of the anti personal mine will reach quorum. For me these two a very similar. Both weapons do strike citizens and also a long time after the war. Not only through casualties, but also because lots of agriculture land cannot be used because of (fear of) mines and cluster munition.

Greetings,
Cocoamok
WA delegate for Intelligentsia Islands
Urgench
06-07-2008, 22:27
I do think that poorer nations are not so likely to use much cluster munitions. Why?
To put all those tiny explosives in one is a delicate process.
If my amendment of the proposal will be picked up it will be the cheapest one. Because upgrading the simple cluster munitions to expensive smart ones is only possible for rich nations. I think the battlefield will be made more even. Rich nations do use much technology, poor nations much soldiers. Rich people do not like to go to war, they have much to loose. But I am open to better arguments.

I hope the government of the emperor of Urgench will give more input to get this proposal working. I also hope his proposal of the anti personal mine will reach quorum. For me these two a very similar. Both weapons do strike citizens and also a long time after the war. Not only through casualties, but also because lots of agriculture land cannot be used because of (fear of) mines and cluster munition.

Greetings,
Cocoamok
WA delegate for Intelligentsia Islands

the government of the emperor of Urgench thanks the wise ambassador for weird Anarchists for their words of support, we will very soon be able to offer more of our time to this debate. and look forward to doing so.

yours e.t.c. ,
Wurmald
07-07-2008, 21:46
As always, The Kazekage no Gaara, WA Delegate for Konoha sends his regards, and endorses your Proposal


~Wurmald, Secretary of the Kazekage no Gaara, WA Delegate of Konoha~
West Pacific Asia
07-07-2008, 22:26
HMHIM Akiroto I once again wishes to express his confusion at these strange proposals.

If his Excellency abides by this proposal (which we will certainly not endorse) he demands some form of compensation be made to nations who will be deprived an important area denial weapon and anti-runway device. We honoru our martial pride is the Western Pacific Empire and these treaties of appeasment our doing nothing expect giving the Crocodile an easier meal to catch.

Maybe we should limit the size of bullets WA members use to peashooter rounds next?
Urgench
08-07-2008, 09:56
HMHIM Akiroto I once again wishes to express his confusion at these strange proposals.

If his Excellency abides by this proposal (which we will certainly not endorse) he demands some form of compensation be made to nations who will be deprived an important area denial weapon and anti-runway device. We honoru our martial pride is the Western Pacific Empire and these treaties of appeasment our doing nothing expect giving the Crocodile an easier meal to catch.

Maybe we should limit the size of bullets WA members use to peashooter rounds next?


the government of the emperor of Urgench finds the idea of compensating irresponsible and morally questionable governments for not being able to use weapons which cause terrible harm to innocent people extremely distatsfull.

other weapons which acheive the same results and do not represent so great a threat to civilian life are available, indeed our nation manufactures some of them. we are sure that if the respected ambassador for West Pacific Asia's government did a very small amount of research in to the matter they too would come to this conclusion.

yours e.t.c.