US Pentagon Purchases $210 Million in Cluster Shells from Israeli Company Tomer
The US Department of Defense has signed a massive contract to purchase advanced cluster shells from an Israeli company, marking one of the largest known deals between Washington and Tel Aviv.
Tomer, a state-owned arms company in Israel, will produce 155mm munitions for the US military over a three-year period. The deal comes amid growing concerns about cluster munitions' indiscriminate killing of civilians.
Cluster munitions have been widely criticized for their long-lasting impact on civilian populations. Unexploded shells can remain live for years, causing widespread harm to people and animals alike.
The Pentagon's decision has raised eyebrows among human rights advocates and critics of the arms trade. "These weapons are inherently indiscriminate," said Brian Castner, an Amnesty International investigator.
While some argue that cluster munitions have a limited role in modern warfare, others contend that their battlefield effectiveness cannot justify their humanitarian costs. "There's not a way to use them responsibly," said Castner.
In 2008, the Convention on Cluster Munitions banned the use and production of these weapons worldwide. However, the United States has never signed the treaty.
The Pentagon claims that its new cluster shells have undergone extensive testing to ensure they meet all performance requirements, including compliance with DoD policies. But critics say that real-world experience often differs from controlled testing, particularly in soft soil conditions or degraded fuses.
Elbit Systems, a parent company of IMI Systems, was initially involved in the development of the M999 cluster munition but canceled production after facing backlash from investors concerned about the ethics of its products.
The $210 million deal to Tomer marks an unusually large commitment by the US to Israel for cluster munitions. The Pentagon has previously signed smaller deals with Israeli companies but not one of this size.
Advocates argue that the sale is a blow to efforts to ban these indiscriminate weapons worldwide and highlights ongoing challenges in enforcing international humanitarian law.
The purchase comes amid growing tensions between Russia, Ukraine, China, Israel, India, Pakistan, and the United States over cluster munitions and other conventional arms.
The US Department of Defense has signed a massive contract to purchase advanced cluster shells from an Israeli company, marking one of the largest known deals between Washington and Tel Aviv.
Tomer, a state-owned arms company in Israel, will produce 155mm munitions for the US military over a three-year period. The deal comes amid growing concerns about cluster munitions' indiscriminate killing of civilians.
Cluster munitions have been widely criticized for their long-lasting impact on civilian populations. Unexploded shells can remain live for years, causing widespread harm to people and animals alike.
The Pentagon's decision has raised eyebrows among human rights advocates and critics of the arms trade. "These weapons are inherently indiscriminate," said Brian Castner, an Amnesty International investigator.
While some argue that cluster munitions have a limited role in modern warfare, others contend that their battlefield effectiveness cannot justify their humanitarian costs. "There's not a way to use them responsibly," said Castner.
In 2008, the Convention on Cluster Munitions banned the use and production of these weapons worldwide. However, the United States has never signed the treaty.
The Pentagon claims that its new cluster shells have undergone extensive testing to ensure they meet all performance requirements, including compliance with DoD policies. But critics say that real-world experience often differs from controlled testing, particularly in soft soil conditions or degraded fuses.
Elbit Systems, a parent company of IMI Systems, was initially involved in the development of the M999 cluster munition but canceled production after facing backlash from investors concerned about the ethics of its products.
The $210 million deal to Tomer marks an unusually large commitment by the US to Israel for cluster munitions. The Pentagon has previously signed smaller deals with Israeli companies but not one of this size.
Advocates argue that the sale is a blow to efforts to ban these indiscriminate weapons worldwide and highlights ongoing challenges in enforcing international humanitarian law.
The purchase comes amid growing tensions between Russia, Ukraine, China, Israel, India, Pakistan, and the United States over cluster munitions and other conventional arms.
I'm really worried about this new deal between the US and Israeli companies... Cluster munitions are like a ticking time bomb for civilians 
. They're so hard to control and can cause long-term harm, not just in the immediate blast radius but even years after they've been used. It's crazy that the Pentagon is still pushing forward with this despite all the criticism and concerns from human rights groups and experts... What if these shells end up causing more problems than they solve on the battlefield? 
Can't we find better, safer ways to protect ourselves and others in conflicts?
. The Pentagon says they've tested them thoroughly, but what about real-world scenarios? It's easy to test in a lab, but it's not the same when you're dealing with actual combat situations 
. I just don't get why we need more of these "indiscriminate" weapons in the world 
. Can't we focus on finding alternative solutions that prioritize human life? 
. I mean, what's next? Buying bullets with no expiration dates just 'cause we can? It's just so bloody wrong. All these arms deals and nobody's talking about how it affects the poor civilians caught in the crossfire. And don't even get me started on the fact that they haven't signed that cluster munitions treaty yet 
. I swear, back in my day...
. I mean, what's the point of having all these advanced military tech if it just ends up harming innocent people? We should be focusing on peace and finding alternative solutions to conflicts, not perpetuating a cycle of violence 
. And to make matters worse, we're doing this with an Israeli company that hasn't even fully tested their product before selling it to the US 
. This deal just goes to show how shortsighted our priorities are when it comes to human lives 
.
Like, we're talking about a company called Tomer that gets a free pass to make millions off these indiscriminate weapons. And the Pentagon is like "oh yeah, our new shells are super safe"... give me a break! 
I mean, have they even tried them out in real combat situations? 
This is like, totally messed up. 
I don't think so, mate.
It's like, can't we afford to invest in peace instead of more bombs? 
. I mean, have you seen the devastation caused by these things? Unexploded shells can stay live for years, harming innocent civilians and wildlife alike 
. It's like they're just throwing money at the problem without considering the human cost 
This deal just feels like a huge step backwards 
.
. The US is basically enabling more harm to civilians with these cluster shells. It's like they're saying "meh, we'll just make a lot of money from selling them, but who cares about the innocent people getting hurt". Newsflash: it's not just about the money, it's about human lives 
. Meanwhile, the US is still trying to justify their use. It's like they're playing a game of "who can be the worst human being". Not cool, guys 
.
. According to Human Rights Watch, 87% of civilians killed in Syria were caused by cluster munitions 
. I'm not saying it's all bad, but 70% of cluster munitions never detonate on impact, just lying there waiting to harm people or animals in the future 
. The Convention on Cluster Munitions has banned them worldwide since 2008, but only 40 countries have ratified it 
.
i just can't even... it's like, we know this is wrong but the US is still buying from Israel? 
we should b focussin on non lethal weapons not hurtin ppl with bombs