Barrel Bomb Should Be Allowed

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A barrel bomb is an improvised unguided bomb, sometimes describes as a flying IED. They are typically made from a large barrel-shaped metal container that has been filled with high explosives, possibly shrapnel, oil or chemicals as well, and then dropped from a helicopter or airplane. Due to a lot of explosives, their poor accuracy and indiscriminate use in populated civilian areas, the resulting detonations have been devastating. Critics have characterized them as weapons of terror and illegal under international conventions. Barrel bombs are cheap to produce, potentially costing as little as $200 to $300 (NBC News). They can be used with any type of aircraft since it's set off with a fuse. The explosive payload can be as simple as fertilizer …show more content…

The bomb may contain metal shrapnel, such as nuts and bolts or even chemicals such as chlorine. The bomb is barrel shaped and might be made from the improvised material or specially designed. Earlier versions in Syria used to light fuses and thus had to be carefully timed, otherwise, they would fail to explode before breaking apart on the ground or explode too soon in the air, which we saw in our book “the Crossing”. Some commentators and institutions have labeled barrel bombs as incendiary devices, which are banned for use against populated civilian areas under the terms of the UN Convention on Prohibitions or Restriction on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons. Human Rights Watch has insisted that the employment of these weapons constitutes a war crime. There is a good reason why these weapons are called crude weapons not only for their destructive reasons, but for the emotional aftermath they cause. The best example of this was in the novel we read, The Crossing when our author was in the city of Saraqeb and the barrel bombs were dropped while she was in the car. Her description, which I quote “ Then came to the thunderous noise again. A cloud of dust. Our vision cleared slightly and I spotted a man dash by carrying his wounded child, crying and shouting as he …show more content…

They are typically made from a large barrel-shaped metal container that has been filled with high explosives, possibly shrapnel, oil or chemicals as well, and then dropped from a helicopter or airplane. Due to a lot of explosives, their poor accuracy and indiscriminate use in populated civilian areas, the resulting detonations have been devastating. Critics have characterized them as weapons of terror and illegal under international conventions. Barrel bombs are cheap to produce, potentially costing as little as $200 to $300 (NBC News). They can be used with any type of aircraft since it's set off with a fuse. The explosive payload can be as simple as fertilizer and diesel. The bomb may contain metal shrapnel, such as nuts and bolts or even chemicals such as chlorine. The bomb is barrel shaped and might be made from the improvised material or specially designed. Earlier versions in Syria used to light fuses and thus had to be carefully timed, otherwise, they would fail to explode before breaking apart on the ground or explode too soon in the air, which we saw in our book “the Crossing”. Some commentators and institutions have labeled barrel bombs as incendiary devices, which are banned for use against populated civilian areas under the terms of the UN Convention on Prohibitions or Restriction on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons. Human Rights Watch has insisted that the employment of

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