Fred Abrahams Criticizes Germany’s Role in Cluster Munition Transfers Amid Ukraine Conflict

In a recent op-ed in der Freitag, Fred Abrahams, a guest faculty member at Bard College Berlin, criticized Germany for compromising its long-standing commitment to banning cluster munitions. 

Cluster munitions are a type of explosive weapon that releases smaller ‘bomblets’ over a wide area when deployed, posing a significant threat to civilians for many years. Germany strongly supported the 2008 Cluster Munitions Convention, which prohibits the use, storage, and transfer of these weapons. Recent investigative reports by ARD’s Panorama and STRG_F have found that the US has stored cluster munitions in Germany before transporting them to Ukraine, which Abrahams says likely violates the convention. 

Abrahams calls for the German government to demand the removal of US cluster munitions from Germany. At the conclusion of the article, he writes, “If Germany allows a banned weapon to be stored and transported on its soil, it risks violating its legal obligations and undermining its standing on the global stage.” 

Read the full text of the article in German on der Freitag. 

Post Date: 10-02-2024