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In May more than 100 governments—including all major NATO allies—met in Dublin, Ireland to negotiate a cluster bomb treaty. I am saddened to hear that the U.S. government was not there.

Because of the harm their use always causes to civilians, the Pope, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Secretary-General of the UN Ban Ki-moon, the International Committee of the Red Cross, UNICEF, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Christian relief group World Vision, among others, have condemned the use of cluster bombs.

The next President will have an opportunity to re-engage with the international community. The first issue they will face is the cluster bomb treaty that most of the world will be signing in December of 2008.

Either Barack Obama or John McCain would be well served by signing the treaty shortly after taking office, as it would both protect innocent civilians and send the right message to the rest of the world.

Additional Letter to the Editor

During the past decade, the U.S. has distanced itself on a range of global issues--from environmental concerns to global humanitarian norms. The next president will have the critical job of reintroducing the United States to the rest of the world.
 
A good first step would be to sign and urge ratification of the Mine Ban Treaty. This treaty bans the production, use, export and stockpiling of antipersonnel landmines. These indiscriminate weapons litter conflict regions long after conflict ends, threatening both civilians and U.S. and allied soldiers. Thousands are killed or injured by landmines each year.
 
The U.S. is one of only three dozen countries that have not yet joined the treaty. The next president should seek to lead the world on human rights issues, rather than obstructing efforts to protect those rights.   
 

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