BBC Online :
The bombs, as one Laotian recalled, “fell like rain”, US President Barack Obama said on a visit to Laos, a first for any sitting US president. “Given our history here, I believe that the United States has a moral obligation to help Laos heal,” he said. He referred to America’s secret and devastating bombing of Laos during the Vietnam War in the 1960s and 70s.
Some $90m (£68m) will be spent over three years for the removal of cluster bombs and other unexploded ordnance. That compares to $100m spent in the last 20 years. Mr Obama did not offer an apology for the bombing. In his comments on Tuesday, President Obama described Laos as the most heavily bombed nation in history. Eight bombs a
minute were dropped on average during the Vietnam war between 1964 and 1973 – more than the amount used during the whole of World War Two. The US flew 580,344 bombing missions over Laos, dropping 260m bombs – equating to 2m tons of ordnance, with many targets in the south and north struck time and again as part of efforts to isolate Communist North Vietnamese forces.
Most devices dropped were anti-personnel cluster bombs. An estimated 30% of these munitions did not detonate. Ten of the 18 Laotian provinces have been described as “severely contaminated” by unexploded ordnance (UXO). Mine-clearing agencies estimate that about 288m cluster munitions and about 75m unexploded bombs were left across Laos after the war ended. Cluster bombs scatter explosives across a wide area and often fail to detonate on impact. They pose a significant threat to civilians because of both their impact at the time of use and their deadly legacy.
Launched from the ground or dropped from the air, cluster munitions consist of containers that open and disperse sub-munitions indiscriminately over a wide area.
The bombs, as one Laotian recalled, “fell like rain”, US President Barack Obama said on a visit to Laos, a first for any sitting US president. “Given our history here, I believe that the United States has a moral obligation to help Laos heal,” he said. He referred to America’s secret and devastating bombing of Laos during the Vietnam War in the 1960s and 70s.
Some $90m (£68m) will be spent over three years for the removal of cluster bombs and other unexploded ordnance. That compares to $100m spent in the last 20 years. Mr Obama did not offer an apology for the bombing. In his comments on Tuesday, President Obama described Laos as the most heavily bombed nation in history. Eight bombs a
minute were dropped on average during the Vietnam war between 1964 and 1973 – more than the amount used during the whole of World War Two. The US flew 580,344 bombing missions over Laos, dropping 260m bombs – equating to 2m tons of ordnance, with many targets in the south and north struck time and again as part of efforts to isolate Communist North Vietnamese forces.
Most devices dropped were anti-personnel cluster bombs. An estimated 30% of these munitions did not detonate. Ten of the 18 Laotian provinces have been described as “severely contaminated” by unexploded ordnance (UXO). Mine-clearing agencies estimate that about 288m cluster munitions and about 75m unexploded bombs were left across Laos after the war ended. Cluster bombs scatter explosives across a wide area and often fail to detonate on impact. They pose a significant threat to civilians because of both their impact at the time of use and their deadly legacy.
Launched from the ground or dropped from the air, cluster munitions consist of containers that open and disperse sub-munitions indiscriminately over a wide area.
