Last week, the Trump administration announced it would reverse U.S. policy not to deploy landmines outside of the Korean Peninsula and would give combatant commanders the authority to use “self-destructing” mines when they deem necessary.
The world has rejected landmines because they are indiscriminate and disproportionately harm civilians. Technical solutions to make landmines self-destruct or be otherwise labeled “smart” have failed to work as advertised and have been rejected by the 164 countries that have joined the Mine Ban Treaty.
Congress must respond by imposing a ban on the deployment of any type of anti-personnel landmine in new theaters of operation and encouraging the United States to join the Mine Ban Treaty.
The world has moved on from the use of landmines. Tell Congress that the United States should too.
