There is a growing movement aimed at curtailing the use of cluster munitions, viewed by many as indiscriminate weapons for their record of disproportionately harming non-combatants. Due to both serious design flaws and deliberate misuse by belligerents, these weapons pose a grave threat to civilians as they are capable of killing and maiming innocents long after hostilities have ceased. While both non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and state bodies have made a strong legal case in favor of a moratorium on the production and use of cluster bombs, a moral argument against their use has been noticeably absent from the debate. However, based upon the available evidence, it should be argued in terms of a just war (JW) tradition that these weapons are an example of arms mala in se, or inherently nefarious armaments. Read More | Comments