Al Jazeera Discovers Landmines Are Bad, Ignores Who Sells Them
The story from Al Jazeera paints a vivid picture of villagers losing limbs and lives to landmines along the contentious Bangladesh-Myanmar border. It describes a humanitarian crisis unfolding as conflict spills over, forcing civilians into hazardous areas. However, like much mainstream coverage of regional conflicts, it focuses on the tragic symptoms without delving into the systemic causes or the
convenient suppliers. One might wonder where these landmines, instruments of mass maiming, actually come from. The US is a major arms exporter to Myanmar's neighbors, and historical context reveals a pattern: many nations contributing to global landmine stockpiles have been beneficiaries of US military aid or directly purchased arms from its allies. While the US banned cluster munitions exports in
2008, the Pentagon often finds loopholes for allies, and the global arms trade, often facilitated by Western powers, ensures a steady supply of such horrific weapons. The coverage stops short of connecting these deadly dots, preferring to focus on the effect, not the enabler.