Ben Dullroy’s Post

WASHINGTON, June 28 (Reuters) - “The Biden administration has sent to Israel large numbers of munitions, including more than 10,000 highly destructive 2,000-pound bombs and thousands of Hellfire missiles, since the start of the war in Gaza (and to be dropped on the highly dense area with a total area of 365 km2) said two U.S. officials briefed on an updated list of weapons shipments. Between the war's start last October and recent days, the United States has transferred at least 14,000 of the MK-84 2,000-pound bombs, 6,500 500-pound bombs, 3,000 Hellfire precision-guided air-to-ground missiles, 1,000 bunker-buster bombs, 2,600 air-dropped small-diameter bombs, and other munitions, according to the officials, who were not authorized to speak publicly.” All these bombs were dropped on the Gaza Strip, a highly dense area with a total area of 365 km2 and a population of 2.3M people mostly children and women! And the U.S. wants to broker a ceasefire!!!!

Today marks 16 years since the adoption of the landmark Convention on Cluster Munitions, a treaty made possible through the crucial efforts of the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) and its partners. This convention banned indiscriminate cluster munitions due to their devastating impact on civilians, especially children. While significant progress has been made, with 124 countries joining and stockpiles destroyed, challenges persist. An example is the ongoing war in Ukraine which tragically highlights the continued use of these weapons and their lethal effects. On this anniversary, the CMC urges all States Parties to stand strong and protect the Convention and its norms, ensuring the protection of civilians from these indiscriminate and insidious weapons. https://bit.ly/3R70SU5

Not only is Lithuania going to withdraw from the naive and foolish Cluster Munitions Convention, but Lithuania will be acquiring cluster munitions! This will make NATO stronger in the defense. Ukraine now has all the types of artillery fired cluster munitions, howitzer and HiMaRs fired rockets and missiles. All NATO countries and also Ukraine should also have air to ground JSOW cluster munitions. This is a sea change from two years ago when I first advised Ukraine to request cluster munitions. Not only is Lithuania removing herself from the Cluster Munitions Convention but also pushing Norway to remove herself. This is exactly what I have been advocating for two years. This will make NATO stronger.

"Even in today’s constrained budget environment, the U.S. Defense Department needs to do more to prioritize munitions buys and prove it has learned the lessons of Ukraine. Congress can play a role in holding the Pentagon to its word here, increasing the buys of key conventional weapons as well as authorizing and appropriating money for the multiyear munitions contracts that would give much-needed stability to the munitions industry." Read more from Stacie Pettyjohn and Hannah Dennis in Foreign Policy: https://lnkd.in/ec5iUPEc

The implications for Australian defence equipment supplies in this analysis are profound. With the potential new front opened up in the Red Sea and broader Middle East Region, it is unfathomable that Australian defence production of critical capabilities is not already approaching wartime levels.

In the article “The First Rule of Cluster Munitions: Don’t Talk about Cluster Munitions” for the Small Wars journal written by AUK President, Dan Rice 🇺🇸 🇺🇦 with the co-authoring with John Nagl, both authors talk about the role of cluster ammunition in protection of the countries neighboring with the aggressors. In particular, they outline: “Any country bordering Russia, China or North Korea should be heavily armed with cluster munitions and publicly make both China and Russia aware that they have significant quantities of these weapons and are prepared to use them. If they arm themselves to be porcupines, they are less likely to be attractive. The weaker they appear, the more attractive they will be”. Please read the whole article at the link: https://lnkd.in/ggfcWJYN

If you think the US/Allied supply crunch for missiles & other critical weapons & munitions is bad now, buckle up. I suspect the weakness of America’s defense industrial base relative to China’s is the single most under-appreciated macro imbalance going into 2024. It’s implications are profound & far reaching — & that’s before we consider similar imbalances in strategically critical sectors throughout the US/Allied societies which limit war readiness & the ability to draw public awareness to existential threats while we still have time to do something about them. https://lnkd.in/ga8sJi79

"Armed and Ready: The Role of Small Arms in Modern Conflicts" Examine the significance of small arms in contemporary conflicts and insurgencies. From assault rifles to handguns, small arms form the backbone of many armed groups and contribute to the dynamics of asymmetric warfare. Join us in understanding the impact of these widely available weapons on the nature of conflicts around the world.

Reuters reported citing two US officials that the Biden administration has sent to Israel large numbers of munitions, including more than 10,000 highly destructive 2,000-pound bombs and thousands of Hellfire missiles, since the start of the genocide in Gaza. According to the report, the US has sent at least 14,000 of the MK-84 2,000-pound bombs, 6,500 500-pound bombs, 3,000 Hellfire precision-guided air-to-ground missiles, 1,000 bunker-buster bombs, 2,600 air-dropped small-diameter bombs, and other munitions.