[lbo-talk] Red Alert! Israel wants US cluster-bomb rockets

Carl Remick carlremick at hotmail.com
Thu Aug 10 19:56:26 PDT 2006


[It-Ain't-Terrorism-If-You-Do-It-In-Uniform Dept.]

Israel Asks U.S. to Ship Rockets With Wide Blast

By DAVID S. CLOUD

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 — Israel has asked the Bush administration to speed delivery of short-range antipersonnel rockets armed with cluster munitions, which it could use to strike Hezbollah missile sites in Lebanon, two American officials said Thursday.

The request for M-26 artillery rockets, which are fired in barrages and carry hundreds of grenade-like bomblets that scatter and explode over a broad area, is likely to be approved shortly, along with other arms, a senior official said.

But some State Department officials have sought to delay the approval because of concerns over the likelihood of civilian casualties, and the diplomatic repercussions. The rockets, while they would be very effective against hidden missile launchers, officials say, are fired by the dozen and could be expected to cause civilian casualties if used against targets in populated areas.

<http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/11/world/middleeast/11military.html?hp&ex=1155268800&en=8d6182e93f050d95&ei=5094&partner=homepage>

Carl



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