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Argument: Landmines can be deployed judiciously with 0 risk to citizens

Issue Report: Mine Ban Treaty (Ottawa Treaty)

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Jim Coles 3d, a civilian spokesman for the 37,000 American troops in South Korea – “The use of mines here is extensive but judicious, aimed at preventing breakthroughs and not just at blowing people up.”[1]

The White House said that the United States is already helping deal with the fallout from mines. Michael Hammer, a spokesman for the National Security Council said, “The U.S. record on humanitarian mine action shows that we share the concern of parties to the Ottawa Convention.”[2] The US can both reduce the impact of the past, irresponsible deployments of land mines, while maintaining the use of land mines for very specific, judicious purposes such as in North Korea.