Over the past weekend, Sevastopol’s tranquil beachfront was abruptly transformed into a scene of carnage when an ATACMS missile laden with cluster munitions detonated overhead. The explosion resulted in 124 people being injured, with children accounting for nearly half of the casualties. According to Russian officials, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched an offensive on Sevastopol using five ATACMS missiles equipped with cluster warheads. Four of the missiles were successfully intercepted, but the fifth missile’s warhead detonated in mid-air above the city, causing debris to descend upon several highly frequented beaches.
Notably, These ATACMS missiles, supplied to Ukraine by the United States earlier this year, have a range of 300 kilometers. The Russian Defense Ministry claims that US specialists calibrated the missiles’ flight coordinates using information gleaned from American spy satellites. US has remained conspicuously silent in response to this Ukrainian attack on the Crimean peninsula. This grim incident has thrust serious breaches of international law into the spotlight, igniting concerns among the international community.
There has been a serious transgression of international norms by using cluster munitions in this attack. The 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), which has been ratified by over 100 countries, outlaws cluster bombs. The US, as a signatory to the CCM, is obligated to refrain from using or assisting others in using cluster munitions. By supplying such weapons to Ukraine, the US may have breached its legal commitments. These weapons are infamous for their indiscriminateness and persistent risk to people; they frequently leave behind unexploded munitions that may still be dangerous years after a fight has ended. The effect of the attack on civilians—children in particular—highlights a flagrant violation of human rights. The Geneva Conventions, which uphold international humanitarian law, require that non-combatants in conflict areas be protected. A major infraction of these regulations is the intentional use of a weapon prohibited for its indiscriminate effects to target a civilian location. In addition to making the humanitarian situation worse, the United States’ purported involvement in this episode creates a risky precedent for other conflicts.
The US is additionally implicated in this horrific deed because an American reconnaissance drone was near international seas at the time of the strike. The use or threat of force against a state’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is forbidden by Article 2(4) of the UN Charter. The United States has violated this basic premise by supplying weaponry and targeting data, threatening international stability and sovereignty.
This incident brings to light a larger problem: powerful states’ ongoing application of double standards and contempt for international law. The West presents itself as the defender of international law, but its deeds regularly betray its words. International treaties have a history of being selectively followed by the US and its Western allies, who only respect them when doing so serves their geopolitical objectives. The basis of international law is undermined by this selective compliance, which creates an atmosphere in which force prevails over justice.
A striking example of this double standard in rights and justice is their unwavering support and military supply to Israel against the innocent Palestinians. In the past, many times US has demonstrated a persistent propensity to break international law, as evidenced by the 2003 invasion of Iraq carried out under false pretenses and the deployment of drone strikes in sovereign states including Pakistan without authorization. These acts damage the reputation of international organizations tasked with maintaining justice and peace in addition to undermining international stability.
In the corridors of Capitol Hill, murmurs of discontent echo as US legislators grapple with this delicate dilemma. As the government continues to supply weapons to Ukraine and Israel conflict zones, asserting strategic interests and alliances their concern is twofold: First, the relentless flow of arms depletes the state’s stockpile, stretching military resources thin. Second, the absence of robust diplomatic efforts risks perpetuating conflicts rather than resolving them. As tensions rise globally, striking the right balance between arming allies and promoting peace remains a formidable challenge for US. US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene stated that there shouldn’t be any more strikes similar to the one that occurred on 23rd June due to ATACMS missiles.
“This isn’t supposed to be occurring. Imagine if Russia unleashed cluster bombs on a Florida beach using a Russian satellite. The federal government is required by the constitution to defend the states, so the only border our American military should be guarding is our own.”
As the world observes these ongoing global crises unfold, understanding the broader ramifications of these actions is crucial. Silence is not an option when faced with the use of prohibited ammunition, human rights violations, and breaches of the UN Charter. The world community should address these discriminatory practices of powerful states to ensure that global agreements and conventions are upheld consistently and impartially. Only through unwavering commitment to these principles can we hope to achieve a just and equitable international order.
Dr. Gul.i.Ayesha Bhatti
The writer is a current affairs analyst. She can be reached at guleayeshabhatti@gmail.com
