From: "Robert G Lewis" 


"Monte Davis"  wrote in message
news:rf3ae25m0n95mrcj4ubhvomgcn5pkvfnn0{at}4ax.com...
> "Robert G Lewis"  wrote:
>
>>Tossing one of the hand grenades into a crowd of
>>known civilians would probably be considered a war crime as well ( or
>>using
>>a cluster bomb on a civilian target)
>
> Yes to both, certainly. I was just pointing out that ball bearings in
> a home-made munition are no different in intent or effect than the
> casings of most shells and bombs.
>
> If cluster bombs are to be set apart in any way, IMO it's not because
> their immediate effects are especially gruesome, but because any
> unexploded submunitions stay around, and are in effect mines left
> behind. That makes them weapons that *can't* be used "legitimately,"
> i.e. against  troops with every effort to avoid noncombatants.

I'm not sure about the legitimately part, simply because any unexploded
ordnance has the same potential. They do not appear to be illegal per se
but may have the same effect as land mines ( as you point out)

Personally I would be opposed to their use in mixed environments, on a
purely military target such as a base etc I might not be. Fortunately I
don't have to make those decisions.

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