Georgia admits to using cluster bombs in South Ossetia

Group: Georgia admits to dropping cluster bombs
Human Rights Watch says Georgia admits to dropping cluster bombs in S. Ossetia
StaffAP News
Sep 01, 2008 06:23 EST
A prominent human rights group says Georgia has admitted dropping cluster bombs in its military offensive to assert control over the restive province of South Ossetia.







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This is from wiredispatch.
These bombs should be banned but great powers such as the U.S. and Russia are opposed to a ban. The article does not say where the bombs were made but it sounds as if they were made in Israel or perhaps supplied by Israel since Israel used them in its war in Lebanon. Israel has been helping train the Georgian army and seems to have some influence with the government. As the article notes Russia also may have used the bombs in Georgia although Russia in this case denies doing so.



Human Rights Watch says it has received an official letter from Georgia's Defense Ministry that acknowledges use of the M85 cluster munition near the Roki tunnel that connects South Ossetia with Russia.
The M85 is the same weapon that was used extensively by Israel in its 2006 war with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
HRW arms division researcher Bonnie Docherty told reporters in Geneva on Monday that Russia undoubtedly used cluster munition in several places during the conflict. However, Russia has denied using the weapon.
Source: AP News