Rodney Frelinghuysen: “The Department of Defense strongly opposes this amendment. They advise us that it would stigmatize cluster munitions…”

“The Department of Defense strongly opposes this amendment. They advise us that it would stigmatize cluster munitions, which are legitimate weapons with clear military utility, and are effective weapons, providing distinct advantages against a range of targets, and can result in less collateral damage than unitary weapons. The United States should be encouraging other states, such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to upgrade their cluster munitions stockpiles rather than making it more difficult for new sales and transfers. Advancements in Sensor Fuzed technology have enabled newer types of cluster munitions to select and engage individual targets, which are not possible with older types of cluster munitions. These advancements in precisions dramatically reduce the likelihood of unintended harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure from the use of cluster munitions. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.”