Editing Cluster munition (section)

=== Iraq, 1991, 2003–2006 ===
{{Seealso|United States war crimes#Iraq War|British war crimes#War on Terror}}
[[File:Defense.gov News Photo 971111-N-6939M-303.jpg|right|thumb|A US Navy [[F/A-18C Hornet]] launches from ''[[USS Nimitz]]'' to a mission in Southern Iraq. Among other weapons, the plane carries [[CBU-100 Cluster Bomb|CBU-100 "Rockeye"]] cluster bombs.]]
* Used by the United States and the United Kingdom

'''1991''': During the [[Gulf War]], the United States, France, and the United Kingdom dropped 61,000 cluster bombs, containing 20&nbsp;million submunitions, according to [[Human Rights Watch]] (HRW).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2009/12/09/iraq-cluster-treaty-approval-should-inspire-neighbors-join|title=Iraq: Cluster Treaty Approval Should Inspire Neighbors to Join|date=9 December 2009|access-date=15 May 2018}}</ref> The US accounted for 57,000 of these droppings. The [[United States Department of Defense|US Department of Defense]] estimated that 1.2 to 1.5 million submunitions did not explode. According to human rights organizations, unexploded submunitions have caused over 4,000 civilian casualties, including 1,600 deaths, in Iraq and Kuwait.<ref>{{cite book |title=Persian Gulf War Encyclopedia A Political, Social, and Military History |date=2014 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |page=97}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=U.S. Conflicts in the 21st Century: Afghanistan War, Iraq War, and the War on Terror |date=2015 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |page=176}}</ref>

'''2003–2006''': United States and allies attacked Iraq with 13,000 cluster munitions, containing two million submunitions during Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to the [[HRW]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/es/news/2003/12/11/estados-unidos-cientos-de-muertes-de-civiles-en-irak-pudieron-prevenirse|title=Estados Unidos – Cientos de muertes de civiles en Irak pudieron prevenirse|date=11 December 2003|access-date=15 May 2018}}</ref> The majority were DPICMs, or [[Dual-purpose improved conventional munition]]s.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=I've Seen Cluster Bombs Maim Children. Why Is Biden Sending Them to Ukraine? |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/political-commentary/biden-ukraine-russia-cluster-bombs-human-rights-1234785326/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=10 July 2023}}</ref> At multiple times, coalition forces used cluster munitions in residential areas, and the country remains among the most contaminated to this day, bomblets posing a threat to both US military personnel in the area, and local civilians.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-12-10-cluster-bomb-cover_x.htm | work=USA Today | first1=Paul | last1=Wiseman | title=Cluster bombs kill in Iraq, even after shooting ends | date=16 December 2003}}</ref>

When these weapons were fired on [[Baghdad]] on 7 April 2003 many of the bomblets failed to explode on impact. Afterward, some of them exploded when touched by civilians. ''[[USA Today]]'' reported that "the Pentagon presented a misleading picture during the war of the extent to which cluster weapons were being used and of the civilian casualties they were causing." On 26 April, General [[Richard Myers]], chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the US had caused only one civilian casualty.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-12-10-cluster-bomb-cover_x.htm | work=USA Today | first1=Paul | last1=Wiseman | title=Cluster bombs kill in Iraq, even after shooting ends | date=16 December 2003}}</ref>