Congressmen McGovern, Quinn, and Evans Urge President Bush to Prohibit AP Mine Use in Iraq.

Congress of the United States, Washington, DC 20515

February 4, 2003

President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:
As our nation prepares for the possibility of war in Iraq, we are troubled by reports that the US military may be planning to use antipersonnel landmines. New US antipersonnel mines, on top of the hundreds of thousands of mines already in the ground in Iraq from the Iran-Iraq and Persian Gulf Wars, would pose serious dangers to innocent civilians, our own troops, and future peacekeepers involved with post-conflict reconstruction. We are writing to urge you to prohibit the US military from deploying these indiscriminate weapons.

A recent General Accounting Office (GAO) report requested by Congressman Lane Evans indicated that the antipersonnel (AP) landmines used during the 1991 Persian Gulf War had minimal military impact. “The services reported no evidence of enemy casualties, either killed or injured; enemy equipment losses, either destroyed or damaged; or enemy maneuver limitations resulting, directly or indirectly, from its employment of… [antipersonnel] landmines during the Gulf War,” said the report. The GAO further stated that some US commanders were reluctant to use mines because of their impact on US troop mobility and fratricide potential. As you are well aware, mobility is one of the hallmarks of American battlefield success. Many retired generals and admirals have called for a US ban on the weapon because, in addition to its devastating humanitarian effects, it is so often more of a hindrance than a help to US troops on the modern battlefield.

Both non-self-destructing or self-deactivating (“dumb”) and self-destructing and self-deactivating (“smart”) antipersonnel landmines cannot distinguish between the foot of a soldier and that of a child, between friend and foe. Both types of mines pose tremendous risks and costs to American and international de-mining teams. No type of AP mine should be used by US forces in Iraq.

We understand that the US military has not deployed AP landmines since the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Since this time, 146 governments have banned the weapon, including virtually all our NATO allies. The United States military, unquestionably the strongest in the world, can defend itself and its interests without the aid of this indiscriminate menace. We hope you will prohibit US forces from using antipersonnel landmines in Iraq.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent request.

Sincerely,

James McGovern, Member of Congress (D-MA)
Jack Quinn, Member of Congress (R-NY)
Lane Evans, Member of Congress (D-IL)