[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 85 (Wednesday, June 18, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S5941]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HALTING NEW DEPLOYMENTS OF LANDMINES

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the bill to halt 
the unmitigated spread of landmines sponsored by Senator Leahy and 
Senator Hagel. In particular, I laud Senator Leahy's tireless efforts 
in lining up over half the Members of the Senate behind this important 
legislation. Also, Senator Hagel's experience as an Army sergeant in 
Vietnam and his unrelenting support for veterans and the military make 
his leadership role on this bill quite appropriate.
  This bill would halt new deployments of U.S. antipersonnel mines 
starting on January 1, 2000. What better way to open the new millennium 
than to clamp down on these hidden, unmanageable devices that kill or 
injure someone somewhere every 22 minutes.
  Let's not lose sight of the fact that landmines kill and maim without 
impunity--men, women, and children alike will continue to lose their 
lives or limbs as long as landmines remain buried around the globe. 
That attribute, the completely random killing, sets these devices apart 
from all other weapons of war, with the possible exception of weapons 
of mass destruction. Yet, even a hydrogen bomb cannot kill a child 
playing in a pasture a decade after the bomb was dropped.
  Today there are 100 million land mines in 68 countries that wait 
potently to explode, be it tomorrow, years from now, or decades hence. 
More soldiers, U.N. peacekeepers, and children will surely lose their 
lives before the world acts to stem the tide of these horrible weapons. 
The question is: How many hundreds more must die needlessly before we 
pursue vigorously a treaty banning antipersonnel landmines?
  Late last year, the U.N. General Assembly resolved, without a single 
dissenting vote, to do just that. Having introduced that resolution in 
our customary role as world leader, we must now take action.

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