ÿþ<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <!-- saved from url=(0129)http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/al-jazeera/topics/articlee240.html?cu_no=1&item_no=765&version=1&template_id=273&parent_id=258 --> <HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Al Jazeera - objective and balanced global news coverage and analysis- In-Depth</TITLE><!-- Mirrored from english.aljazeera.net/topics/article.asp?cu_no=1&item_no=765&version=1&template_id=273&parent_id=258 by HTTrack Website Copier/3.x [XR&CO'2003], Tue, 25 Mar 2003 19:13:56 GMT --> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=UTF-16"> <META http-equiv=Content-Type><LINK href="article-landmine-woes_files/style.css" type=text/css rel=stylesheet> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2722.900" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY leftMargin=0 topMargin=10 rightMargin=0> <DIV align=center xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"> <CENTER> <TABLE style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" borderColor=#111111 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 10px" align=left><IMG src="article-landmine-woes_files/banner.gif"></TD></TR> <TR> <TD><IMG src="article-landmine-woes_files/mainheader.jpg"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER></DIV> <DIV align=center> <CENTER> <TABLE id=AutoNumber2 style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" borderColor=#999999 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=770 border=1> <TBODY> <TR> <TD> <TABLE id=AutoNumber3 style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" borderColor=#111111 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD class=dates id=hDate dir=ltr style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px" width="80%" bgColor=#cccccc></TD> <TD dir=ltr width="20%" bgColor=#cccccc></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <TABLE id=AutoNumber4 style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" borderColor=#111111 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=768 border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD width=565> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD colSpan=2 height=5></TD></TR> <TR> <TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px" colSpan=2> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD class=indicationLink2 vAlign=top><A class=indicationLink href="http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/al-jazeera/index.html">Homepage<IMG src="article-landmine-woes_files/spacer.gif" width=2 border=0></A><IMG src="article-landmine-woes_files/spacer.gif" width=3 border=0><IMG src="article-landmine-woes_files/spacer.gif" width=3 border=0>/ <IMG src="article-landmine-woes_files/spacer.gif" width=2 border=0><A class=indicationLink href="http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/al-jazeera/topics/index439b.html?cu_no=1&amp;template_id=273&amp;temp_type=42">In-Depth<IMG src="article-landmine-woes_files/spacer.gif" width=3 border=0></A>/ </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR> <TR> <TD colSpan=3 height=6></TD></TR> <TR> <TD width=10></TD> <TD><INPUT id=item_cu_no type=hidden value=1 xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"><INPUT id=item_no type=hidden value=765 xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"><INPUT id=version type=hidden value=1 xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"><INPUT id=date1 type=hidden value=25/03/2003 xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"><INPUT id=dateTime type=hidden value=" 5:58AM" xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"><INPUT id=articalText type=hidden value="<P class=MsoBodyText dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: auto 0.5in auto 0in&quot;><FONT face=Arial><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;>The </SPAN><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = &quot;urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags&quot; /><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;>United States</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;>’ decision to use anti-personnel mines in its war on </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;>Iraq</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;> has&amp;nbsp;angered anti-mine activists and experts who fear that the deployment of such munitions will aggravate an already serious situation. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = &quot;urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office&quot; /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoBodyText dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: auto 0.5in auto 0in&quot;><FONT face=Arial><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;>“The use of anti-personnel landmines would endanger Iraqi civilians, US troops, future peacekeepers and de-miners,” said Dan Smith, retired US Army Colonel. </SPAN></FONT></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoBodyText dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: auto 0.5in auto 0in&quot;><FONT face=Arial><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;>“Use of this indiscriminate weapon in </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;>Iraq</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;> would more than likely lead to civilian and </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;>US</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;> troop casualties, as it did during the 1991 Persian Gulf War,” he said on March 7 in a statement issued by the US Campaign to Ban Landmines. (www.banminesusa.org)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoBodyText dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: auto 0.5in auto 0in&quot;><FONT face=Arial><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;>During the 1991 Gulf war, the US and its allies laid about <SPAN style=&quot;mso-spacerun: yes&quot;>&amp;nbsp;</SPAN>a million mines along the Iraq-Kuwait border and around the Iraqi city of </SPAN><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;>Basra</SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;>, according to a 1996 report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).(<A href=_http__/www.unicef.org/sowc96pk/mines.html>www.unicef.org/sowc96pk/mines.htm</A>)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoBodyText dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: auto 0.5in auto 0in&quot;><FONT face=Arial><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;>On March 5, a senior defence official told reporters at the Pentagon that </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;>US</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;> forces “might deny access to (a chemical weapons site) by using self-destructing small mines,” in reference to mines that include timers that cause them to de-activate after a particular period.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoBodyText dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: auto 0.5in auto 0in&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;><FONT face=Arial>However, a leading anti-mine activist <SPAN style=&quot;mso-spacerun: yes&quot;>&amp;nbsp;</SPAN>warned that such types of bombs could be as deadly as others as they detonate on contact.<SPAN style=&quot;COLOR: black&quot;> “When the Mine Ban Treaty was being negotiated, the international community rejected such &quot;technical fixes&quot; as self-destruct and self-deactivating mines as an answer to the landmine problem,” said Jody Williams, </SPAN>the founding coordinator of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL). <A href=_http__/www.icbl.html>(www.icbl.org</A>)<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoBodyText dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: auto 0.5in auto 0in&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;><FONT face=Arial>Williams, who is also a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 along with ICBL, added: <SPAN style=&quot;COLOR: black&quot;>“The failure rate of such mines has been known to vary widely, and such failed mines can be as deadly as ‘dumb’ or conventional mines.&quot;&amp;nbsp; <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoBodyText dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: auto 0.5in auto 0in&quot;><FONT face=Arial><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;>The </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;>US</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;> General Accounting Office (GAO), which is the audit, evaluation and the investigative arm of the US Congress, released a report last year saying that an unexpectedly high number of such </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;>US</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;> mines laid during Operations Desert Shield and Storm failed to self-destruct. (<A href=_http__/www.gao.html>www.gao.gov</A>)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoBodyText dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: auto 0.5in auto 0in&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black&quot;><FONT face=Arial>“Mine clearance experts have to treat such mines as if they could explode. So they do little to speed up humanitarian mine clearance after conflict ends and cause much terror in the civilian population,” Williams explained.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoBodyText dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: auto 0.5in auto 0in&quot;><FONT face=Arial><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;>Iraq</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;> is contaminated with </SPAN><st1:time Hour=&quot;11&quot; Minute=&quot;52&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;>eight to 12</SPAN></st1:time><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;> million landmines and an unspecified number of unexploded mortars, shells, grenades and other <SPAN class=msoins0>deadly </SPAN>war<SPAN class=msoins0> debris</SPAN>, according to the UK-based MAG.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoBodyText dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: auto 0.5in auto 0in&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;><FONT face=Arial>In addition, a recent GAO report requested by Congressman Lane Evans indicated that the anti-personnel mines used during the 1991 Gulf War did nothing to impair Iraqi forces. </FONT></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoBodyText dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: auto 0.5in auto 0in&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;><FONT face=Arial>“The services reported no evidence of enemy casualties, either killed or injured; enemy equipment losses, either destroyed or damaged; or enemy manoeuvre limitations resulting directly or indirectly, from its employment of… (anti-personnel) landmines during the Gulf War,” said the report. <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoBodyText2 dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;><FONT face=Arial>Williams cited a presentation by a Croatian military officer at a conference in 1999 as an example on how landmines had minimal military impact in wars.<SPAN style=&quot;mso-spacerun: yes&quot;>&amp;nbsp; </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoBodyText2 dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;><o:p><FONT face=Arial>&amp;nbsp;</FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoBodyText2 dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt&quot;><FONT face=Arial>“He stated that there were no instances in which the use of landmines significantly altered the outcome of a battle and how they restrict one’s own mobility,” she said.&amp;nbsp;<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;><o:p>&amp;nbsp;</o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>An Italian group recently expressed concern that US troops might use cluster bombs that split into thousands of lethal fragments, just like those dropped in the 1991 Gulf War.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;mso-spacerun: yes&quot;>&amp;nbsp;</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>&quot;It is ironic that while the United States readies to unleash a war in Iraq on grounds of the threat represented by Iraq's arsenals of weapons of mass destruction -&amp;nbsp;its own war plans call for the use of devices like landmines,&quot; a statement issued by the Italian Campaign Against Landmines said. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;><o:p>&amp;nbsp;</o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>Founded 10 years ago, the group has exerted pressure on Fiat in 1994 to drop shares it held in an Italian firm in </SPAN><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>Brescia</SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;> that manufactured landmines. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;><o:p>&amp;nbsp;</o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>The </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>US&amp;nbsp;</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>is not a signatory to the Ottawa Convention that became law in 1999 and bans the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines. </SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;></SPAN>&amp;nbsp;</P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>The </SPAN><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>Clinton</SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;> administration instructed the Pentagon to move toward joining the treaty by 2006 as it said it had to use it in </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>Korea</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>. </SPAN><SPAN class=bodytext1><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;><FONT color=#333333>The Bush Administration is yet to finish its formal review of US landmine policies.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN class=bodytext1><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;><o:p><FONT color=#333333>&amp;nbsp;</FONT></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>For their part, Iraqi forces have littered areas surrounding the Kurdish northern city of </SPAN><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>Kirkuk</SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;> with thousands of landmines, raising fears over the safety of thousands of displaced Kurds who intend to return home in the aftermath of the US-led invasion. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;><o:p>&amp;nbsp;</o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>Neither </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>Iraq</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;> nor the </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>United States</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;> is among the 146 governments that have joined the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, which prohibits use, production, transfer and stockpiling of antipersonnel mines.</SPAN><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;><o:p>&amp;nbsp;</o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>The US is believed to be stocking some 90,000 anti-personnel mines in five <SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>States Parties</SPAN><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>&amp;nbsp;</SPAN> - </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>Germany</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>, </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>Japan</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>, </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>Norway</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>, </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>Qatar</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>, and the </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>United Kingdom</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;> at Diego Garcia – countries that are party to the Mine Ban Treaty. The ICBL has raised concerns that the </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>United States</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;> might transfer mines across the </SPAN><st1:place><st1:PlaceType><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>territory</SPAN></st1:PlaceType><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;> of </SPAN><st1:PlaceName><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>States Parties</SPAN></st1:PlaceName></st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;> for possible use in </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>Iraq</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;><o:p>&amp;nbsp;</o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>Protesting voices against the use of </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>US</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;> mines in </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>Iraq</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;> included Congressmen, such as James McGovern, Jack Quinn and Lane Evans. They sent a letter to </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>US</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;> President George Bush on February 4, urging him to refrain from deploying such indiscriminate weapons. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;><o:p>&amp;nbsp;</o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;>“Anti-personnel landmines cannot distinguish between the foot of a soldier and that of a child, between friend and foe,” the letter said. </SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;></SPAN>&amp;nbsp;</P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left&quot;><SPAN lang=EN-GB style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial&quot;><B>Al Jazeera</B></SPAN></P>" xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"> <TABLE id=AutoNumber5 style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" borderColor=#111111 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD> <TABLE id=AutoNumber5 style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" borderColor=#111111 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD dir=ltr width="100%"><A href="http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/al-jazeera/xml/topics/printarticlee240.xml?cu_no=1&amp;item_no=765&amp;version=1&amp;template_id=273&amp;parent_id=258"><IMG hspace=5 src="article-landmine-woes_files/print.gif" align=right vspace=5 border=0></A><IMG onmouseover="this.style.cursor = 'hand' ;" onclick=SendByEmail(); onmouseout="this.style.cursor = '' ;" hspace=5 src="article-landmine-woes_files/email.gif" align=right vspace=5 border=0></TD></TR> <TR> <TD height=5></TD></TR> <TR> <TD class=articalTitle>War will add to Iraq's landmine woes</TD></TR> <TR> <TD height=15></TD></TR> <TR> <TD id=artical vAlign=top></TD></TR> <TR> <TD height=12></TD></TR> <TR> <TD width="100%" background=article-landmine-woes_files/h-dotedline-bg.gif><IMG height=1 src="article-landmine-woes_files/spacer.gif" width=1></TD></TR> <TR> <TD height=10></TD></TR> <TR> <TD dir=ltr width="100%"><A href="http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/al-jazeera/xml/topics/printarticlee240.xml?cu_no=1&amp;item_no=765&amp;version=1&amp;template_id=273&amp;parent_id=258"><IMG hspace=5 src="article-landmine-woes_files/print.gif" align=right vspace=5 border=0></A><IMG onmouseover="this.style.cursor = 'hand' ;" onclick=SendByEmail(); onmouseout="this.style.cursor = '' ;" hspace=5 src="article-landmine-woes_files/email.gif" align=right vspace=5 border=0></TD></TR> <TR> <TD height=5></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <SCRIPT language=JavaScript1.2 xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"> if(document.all.artical) document.all.artical.innerHTML = document.all.articalText.value ; </SCRIPT> </TD> <TD width=10></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD> <TD dir=ltr width=1 bgColor=#cccccc><IMG height=1 src="article-landmine-woes_files/spacer.gif" width=1 border=0></TD> <TD vAlign=top width=202> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD colSpan=3 height=10></TD></TR> <TR> <TD width=10></TD> <TD><A href="http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/al-jazeera/index.html"><IMG src="article-landmine-woes_files/homepage.gif" border=0></A></TD> <TD width=10></TD></TR> <TR> <TD colSpan=3 height=8></TD></TR> <TR> <TD width=10></TD> <TD></TD> <TD width=10></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER></DIV><!-- Mirrored from english.aljazeera.net/topics/article.asp?cu_no=1&item_no=765&version=1&template_id=273&parent_id=258 by HTTrack Website Copier/3.x [XR&CO'2003], Tue, 25 Mar 2003 19:14:10 GMT --> <SCRIPT language=JavaScript1.2> if( document.all.date1 ) { docDate = document.all.date1.value ; } </SCRIPT> <SCRIPT language=JavaScript src="article-landmine-woes_files/HomeMenu.js"></SCRIPT> </BODY></HTML>