Cluster bombs are not nice, as we all probably know, and are responsible for huge numbers of civilian deaths. A large percentage of these fatalities are among children, as the bomblets are fun and child-sized, fitting well into little hands.
There is no international treaty banning these things and a conference is now underway in Dublin to reach some kind of agreement about getting rid of these weapons, which cause the highest number of civilian casualties (otherwise known as “murders”) of any modern munitions.
Previously Sweden supported an international ban of these murderous little guys, but now they have changed tack. The current stance is that the Swedish government will support a ban as long as it doesn’t include Swedish designed bomb, the bombkapsel 90, as they are apparently “not the same thing”. And, as a unrelated coincidence, they are used by the Swedish JAS warplane.
The Swedish state is quite good at pretending to agree with something while doing something else when nobody is watching, such as making cluster bombs, selling steel to the Nazis, making us eat those terrible pizzas…
Well I hope they get properly embarressed in Dublin and learn that hypocrisy will not get you that far, especially when you are giving up an ideological standpoint just becuase it suits your wallet to do so.
And we can only hope that somebody in Dublin throws a pie at the Swedish delegation. Or put a trustworthy Swedish-made bomblet in their pants.
/ paddy
Paddy K 
As a swedish citizen I feel ashamed and of course I am angry. Double standard it is!
Well said Paddy. There’s no nice way to describe the consequences of these lethal weapons and if a half-way compromise is made in Dublin, it will be nothing more than an ugly cover-up.
A full ban is what’s needed.
Bombkapsel 90, BK90, an evil swedish weapon. Throw the pie in Dublin !!
Blackout, earthpal, Gert Franzén: Yes, I sincerely hope some pie is thrown. Nasty, evil pie.
Seems like there has been an agreement of sorts although they have eight years to dispose of stockpiles – sinister. The British did an about turn and agreed to go along. The Americans, who officially didn’t attend, apparently had 110 telephone contacts. They are very worried that countries signing up to the treaty would no longer be able to particiapte in joint missions with the US. Big problem for NATO and various ‘Coallitions’.
Hopefully it will lead to something concrete eventually.
Haven’t heard any mention of the Swedes position.
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