“A major setback for international efforts”
Donald Trump has allowed the U.S. Army to use landmines again, causing horror. German politicians also speak of a “fatal sign”.
The State Secretary at the Federal Foreign Office, Niels Annen, has criticized President Donald Trump’s decision to re-authorize landmines.
“President Trump’s decision to ignore the ban on the use of landmines is a major setback for the long-term international efforts to outlaw this deadly weapon,” the SPD politician told the editorial network Germany. “The United States would be well advised to reconsider its decision.”
Last Friday, President Donald Trump lifted the landmine spell for the U.S. Army. In 2014, Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama, banned U.S. forces from using anti-personnel mines and ordered the inventory to be destroyed. The Korean peninsula was an exception: numerous mines are placed on the border between North Korea and South Korea, which is allied with the USA. The ban also did not affect anti-tank mines.
This regulation has now been lifted completely: In future, the military may use modern anti-personnel mines worldwide and under “extraordinary conditions”, which can be deactivated remotely and destroy themselves after thirty days. The White House said the former ban could be a “serious disadvantage” for U.S. soldiers in conflict. “The president is unwilling to accept this risk for our soldiers.”