The Wire

It appears the tide is finally turning against the use of cluster bombs. The Federal Parliament’s Treaties Committee held a public hearing in Canberra today to consider Australia’s ratification of the Convention on Cluster munitions. In May 2008 Australia signed a treaty banning the use of the weapon, which has been responsible for the indiscriminate deaths of civilians in conflict regions. But while the world moves towards securing an international law against the use of cluster bombs, there are problems with the existing treaty.