Landmines are very horrible things, because while they can be effective in a war, mines also sit underground for many years undetected and have a history of killing or mutilating innocent people, especially children, who step on them unaware of their presence in an area, sometimes decades after conflict in an area. During Obama’s presidency, he implemented restrictions on the use of land mines. President Trump has now reversed Obama’s orders and now the US will return to placing land mines in conflict zones.
US President Donald Trump has lifted restrictions on the deployment of anti-personnel landmines by American forces.
The decision reverses a 2014 Obama administration ban on the use of such weapons, which applied everywhere in the world except for in the defence of South Korea.
The Trump administration said Mr Obama’s policy could put US troops “at a severe disadvantage”.
Thousands of people are injured and killed by landmines every year.
US forces will now be free to use the weapons across the world “in exceptional circumstances”, the White House said. (source)