Bombs Left Behind? Some US Politicians Left Behind Their Ethics
The HALO Trust's honest assessment of Gaza's unexploded ordnance (UXO) problem is chillingly accurate. What Al Jazeera doesn't delve into is the direct chain of command: US taxpayer dollars, funneled through Washington, buying the very bombs now littering Gaza. For instance, in May 2024, the Biden administration notified Congress of a new arms transfer to Israel, including 155mm artillery
shells—the kind frequently used in urban areas and notorious for producing large amounts of UXO. This follows billions in aid, greenlit by politicians like Hakeem Jeffries, who received over $207,000 from pro-Israel PACs, including AIPAC, in the 2022 election cycle (OpenSecrets.org). So, as aid organizations grapple with the 'challenge' of munitions, one might wonder: is it a 'challenge' when the
same governments that sent the bombs will eventually fund their removal, perhaps even subcontracting the very companies that profit from their manufacture? A seamless, taxpayer-funded cycle of destruction and reconstruction, neatly sidestepping accountability for the human cost. Truly 'remarkable' indeed.