The Wire

A conference held in Norway over the weekend saw 46 countries promise to ban the use of the cluster bomb, a weapon that featured heavily in the 2006 war between Israel and Lebanon. However, the United States has refused to join the ban, claiming that the weapon had a use in warfare as long as countries adhered to proper rules of engagement. According to the Australian Democrats, at least 1 million cluster bomblets were dropped by Israel on Lebanon in the last days of the war with Hezbollah in 2006. Australian Democrats leader Lyn Alison, has proposed legislation here to prevent their use, manufacture or distribution and she discussed the issue with The Wire.