On 6 September 2006 the US Senate had a rollcall vote on an amendment on the FY 07 DOD budget, the Feinstein-Leahy Amendment, which would restrict the usage of cluster bombs in civilian areas throughout the world. The amendment failed, the result of the vote was 30 ayes, all by Democrats and one Independent, and 70 nays, including all Republicans and a sizeable number of nominal Democrats.
Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Evan Bayh, supposed potential candidates for the Democratic nomination for President included themselves among the Nays. We must ask why.
Why was this most moral of all recent legislation rejected? Was it because it would have been an ex post facto condmenation of US use of bomblets in Iraq and Israeli use in Lebanon? One cannot imagine that a weaponette that looks amazingly like a toy and is frequently confused by children as a toy would not be condemned, save for that reason — unless the US Senate doesn’t care about Arab children’s lives or else loves war.
From the FAS, the Federation of American Scientists , a detailed illustrated technical synopsis of cluster bombs is available. Please note that the anti-personnel bomblets illustrated below appear to be amazingly similar to a ball — a child’s toy. Please note well Senators Bayh, Biden and Clinton:
We must ask, once again, why? One cannot merely blame the “blank check” given to Israel to destroy Lebanon, as the US use of these are well documented in the press worldwide in Iraq, Afghanistan, and in the war against the Serbs. Senator Feinstein did not spare the delicate feelings of the Senate in her floor presentation, showing graphic photos of the damage these bomblets have done to children. Is the Senate too ashamed to face the evidence? I humbly submit to a candid world, yes. The number of supposed duds and pressure activated bomblets is well documented by FAS as well as the emergency wards of Baghdad and Beirut.
Here is the honor roll:
YEAs —30
Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Carper (D-DE)
Conrad (D-ND)
Dayton (D-MN)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Harkin (D-IA)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Kohl (D-WI)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Obama (D-IL)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Wyden (D-OR)
All ScreechingRats can do is to urge that everyone remember these names and, more importantly, the names of all those who do not appear.
September 16, 2006 at 1:13 am
This amendment was wrong and I’m glad it was defeated. Shame on Feinstein and Leahy for proposing. To contrary to what the do-gooder appeasers say, Israel didn’t choose to bomb civilians, it’s more like Hezbollah are dirty fighting punks who break the rules of war, hiding among civilians and keeping their weapons in civilian areas. What was Israel supposed to do, let those PUNKS bomb Israeli cities. The ceasefire was wrong and should not have been implemented until Israel killed every single one of those PUNKS.
September 16, 2006 at 3:27 am
Dear Mr. Outlaw:
Screeching Rats! is certainly pleased to have recieved your feedback on our post regarding the Feinstein-Leahy Amendment. We agree that Israel should not have to endure rockets coming from without their borders to within. However, we question the wisdom of fighting terror with terror. The cluster bombs of which we wrote are massive: they release hundreds of “bomblets” which then blanket the area as anti-personnel mines. They are frequently “duds” which can then explode when inadvertantly tossed aside or when a child thinks they are a toy. They referenced not only Lebanon but Afghanistan and Iraq as well. We do not consider them an instrument of civilized warfare, the same as we do not consider a terror attack against any civilian as justified. Please note, sir, that the only reference to Israel’s Lebanon incursion was to the cluster bombs, not the invasion, per se.
Please continue to read Screeching Rats! regularly, sir. We strive for a return to old fashioned Enlightenment rapport instead of shrill shrieks, and take all sides of an issue into consideration and then mull over all comments before/after posting. In this case, your objection to F-L is noted, but we are unchanged.
October 9, 2006 at 4:58 am
Mr. Outlaw fails to see that cluster bombs suggest Israel’s motive is different than announced: cluster bombs kill indiscriminately over long periods of time. If Israel’s motive was to seek and destroy Hizbollah via a short-term incursion, why use weapons designed to destroy the population generally – and for years to come?
December 15, 2006 at 9:45 pm
nice blog!
mike
November 2, 2007 at 5:14 am
Does anyone deny Hezbullah and Hamas tactics how to USE kids [as shields and as bombs] so they die so Israel gets defamed? Why not blame the Islamo Arab parents criminal leaders????
————-
The pro Palestinians US Policy & the Arab oil lobby
Why do Arabists propagandists keep talking about “pro Israel” US policy?
Not any other nation, was and is so active in attempting to create a ‘Palestinian’ state [even though there was never an Arab sovereign state in Israel ‘palestine’, in history.
Tell me one Arab country that was so much on behalf of a ‘Palestinian’ state, not to mention that ‘Palestinian plight’ is mainly [1] due to the Arab leaders’ behavior since 1948 of playing with this Arab population [that are refered to as “Palestinians” since the 1960’s], it’s historical terrible “interset” in keeping them in shambles, as a cynical propaganda tool against Israel, and [2] their own self destructive hatred & Jihad.
Sure the most powerful lobby in America, the Arab Saudi oil is pushing to that too, yet it’s US’ will to go ahead with it , especially in a clear goal to eradicate another one of Jihadists’ favorite excuses in their war on the infidels, that goes on with or without excuses anyway.
Or is it that supporting ALSO Israel is still not “good enough” in anti Israel bigots of the fascists in the Arab Muslim world?
PS
1) Simply put: Supporting Israel means, shielding it’s innocent citizens from genocide by “good tolerant neighbors”.
2) What “logic” do anti Isreal bigots use to “explain” How could it be that even one Zionist-activist could have supported the Iraq war, since it’s an obstacle against acting on Nuclear Iran [that wants a global Islamic empire by force]?
November 10, 2007 at 1:30 am
RE: “Simply put: Supporting Israel means, shielding it’s innocent citizens . . . ”
Comma splice after the word “means.” “It’s” is intended to be used as a possessive, yet the apostrophe make it a contraction for the two words “It is.” To make “it” possessive one simply adds an “s” to the end of the word so as not to confuse it with the contraction aforementioned.
Other than that, what does any of your reply have to do with Feinstein-Leahy? Can dropping duds that kids play with really do anything to protect Israel or just piss off the Arabs even more?
We hope you continue to read Screeching Rats!
January 31, 2008 at 8:42 am
I KNEW this was going to come back to bite Hillary in the —. Today, the Winograd Commssion in Israel said the use (especially by Israel, which this vote was about) is illegal by international law….
January 31, 2008 at 6:57 pm
[...] Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Evan Bayh, supposed potential candidates for the Democratic nomination for President included themselves among the Nays. We must ask why. [Source] [...]
January 31, 2008 at 9:23 pm
[...] FONTE [...]
February 1, 2008 at 1:55 pm
[...] Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Evan Bayh, supposed potential candidates for the Democratic nomination for President included themselves among the Nays. We must ask why. [Source] [...]
September 25, 2008 at 6:57 am
Автор молодец! Тема почти раскрыта. Приглашаю почитать мою статью о авиалегкобыстром автомобиле будущего