Land Mines: The Most Basic Form of Terrorism Is a Land Mine

Every year, land mines kill or injure about 26,00 people worldwide, and most of women and children. The San Francisco Chronicle reported this in January 2003 and still today nothing has changed. The article continues on and states that 110 million land mines are scattered across the globe. Just thinking shear numbers, 110 million land mines can desimate populations however the U.S. policy still remains that it should be tolerant, or in other words that the U.S. shouldn't be held responsible among the other countries who have laid the mines.

In 1997, the Ottowa Mine Ban Treaty was brought to the international table. However, it was not passed until 1999. The treaty places a ban on antipersonnel landmine production and use. It makes a request that all nations take part in destroying landmines and that governments come together to aid countries and rid them of this plague. The treaty allocates time for each step towards ridding the world of the dangers of land mines. It states that within four years after the treaty is in effect that all stockpiles should be destroyed. It goes on to say that after ten years all mine fields should be cleared.

The most powerful country in the world, the United States, has remained more pro-landmines than neutral or against landmines over time while 60 nations are still affected by these mines. Currently 140 nations have agreed to ban landmines in order to protect humanity and the U.S. has not signed up as part of it. The reason or excuse that the administration has given for not signing is that it has not come up with a reasonable alternative to landmines but will sign thereafter.

During Bill Clinton's administration, he felt it necessary to remain off the landmine ban list and American generals pushed to continue use of mines in Korea in preparation for the future. The U.S. has stopped exportation of landmines at least.

As the world's police force as it is commonly referred to, with a goal to rid the world of terrorism, the land mine treaty will only be successful if the U.S. signs it and takes a strong leadership stance. In order to clear fields, security officials need to identify mine locations worldwide.

Unfortunately it was not the thinking of the Clinton administration to support the treaty and is not the main concern of the Bush administration either, so only time and the end of the Iraq and North Korea struggle will tell when the U.S. will sign