President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday the United States will ban almost all anti-personnel landmine (APL) use pushing the APL policies back to the Obama era.
“After conducting a comprehensive policy review, the United States is joining the vast majority of countries around the world in committing to limit the use of anti-personnel landmines,” the White House said in a statement. “The new commitment announced today will align U.S. APL policy outside of the Korean Peninsula with the key requirements of the Ottawa Convention.”
Under the policy change, the United States commits to: Not develop, produce, or acquire APL
Not export or transfer of APL, except when necessary for activities related to mine detection or removal, and for the purpose of destruction
Not use APL outside of the Korean Peninsula
Not assist, encourage, or induce anyone, outside of the context of the Korean Peninsula
Undertake to destroy all APL stockpiles not required for the defense of the Republic of Korea Reversal of Trump-Era Policies
The Biden administration’s policy changes on APL follow the same pattern after Biden came to the White House: reversing Trump-era policies and putting Obama policies back….