Secretary Gates: Renounce the Use of Cluster Bombs!

On December 3, 2008, more than 120 countries - including most members of NATO - will sign a treaty banning cluster bombs. The U.S. boycotted the negotiations and will not send a representative to sign the treaty.

Why is U.S. policy at odds with that of its closest military allies? Sign the petition below to Secretary of Defense Gates, urging him to end the use of cluster bombs in civilian populated areas. We will present the petitions to the Pentagon in December.

Your Information

Email*

First Name*

Last Name*

Address

City

State

ZIP Code*

* Required information

The Petition

Dear Secretary of Defense Gates,

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.

We call on you to place a moratorium on cluster bomb use or, at a minimum, to publicly declare that the United States supports a ban on the use of cluster bombs in areas that are normally occupied by civilians.