US Moving to Join Landmine Convention

The Ottawa Convention, a UN treaty banning landmines, currently has 161 signatories, but noticeably absent are several world powers, including the US, Russia, and China. Though the number of people killed or maimed each year by landmines has fallen considerably since the convention came into force in 1999, thousands—the vast majority of whom are civilians—still fall victim to these weapons each year. Now, the US has announced its intention to eventually join the treaty, and it is taking steps toward this by committing to end production and purchasing of anti-personnel landmines, allowing existing stockpiles to dwindle as they expire. More… Discuss