According to the official UXO website, Lao PDR has the unwanted distinction of being per capita the most heavily bombed nation in the world. Between the years 1964 and 1973, the United States flew more than half a million bombing missions, delivering more than two million tons of explosive ordnance, in an attempt to block the flow of North Vietnamese arms and troops through Laotian territory. The ordnance dropped include more than 266 million submunitions (known as “bombies” in Lao) released from cluster bombs. Significant land battles, including those during the war for independence during the French colonial era and between the Pathet Lao and the Royal Lao forces, also contributed vast quantities of unexploded heavy bombs, rockets, grenades, artillery munitions, mortars, anti-personnel landmines, and improvised explosive devices. It is estimated that up to 30% of all ordnance did not explode. Such unexploded ordnance (UXO) continues to remain in the ground, maiming and killing people, and hindering socio-economic development and food security. Estimated number of sub-munitions (bombies) from cluster bombs dropped over Lao PDR between 1964 and 1973. 30% estimated failure rate of sub-munitions under ideal conditions. 78 million estimated number of sub-munitions that failed to explode. 387,645 or 0.49% Number or percentage of estimated unexploded sub-munitions destroyed by UXO LAO from 1996 to April 2008. Monday, November 3, 2008, I was watching ' No Reservation ' in the travel channal and according to chef and traveler-at-large, Anthony Bourdain, almost thirty years ago Americans dropped bombs in Laos in average every 9 minutes for ten years in a row. More than all the bombs during WWII thrown over Germany and Japan combined. At the home of a farmer, whose leg and arm were blown off by American bombs during the Vietnam war, the gracious host asked Anthony whether he was afraid to see the results of the tragedies caused on the Laotians. Anthony, playing the reluctant diplomat, replies that all Americans should know the "price of war", and suggests that such realities are "not a movie". However, it is not clear whether the farmer and his family, in their modest home without any obvious western technology, have ever seen a movie, much less even know what a "movie" is. Anthony Bourdain," Reality hurts. I think every American should see the results of war. It's not a movie. It's the least I can do to see war with open eyes." Furthermore, he added," I mean,... what do you say to a guy who has lost an arm and a limb to a bomb your country dropped thirty years ago? Sorry for your limb, pass the fish?! I honestly don't know.The kindness and generosity of strangers who have no reason to be nice to me frankly kicks the hell out of me." Nevertheless, looking at Anthony Bourdain's face and body language it was obvious to me the farmer's question made him very uncomfortable. I am an American and I'm asking myself. Should I or any other young generation American feel guilty for what my goverment did thirty years ago? What about the Nazi Germany? Are young Germans responsible what the Nazis did during WWII? What are your thoughts? Don't hold back. Thank God we live in USA. A country where freedom of speech is protected by our constitution.
No, I don't feel guilty for bombs. I had nothing to do with them. When I've traveled to the developing world, there is a sense of guilt/embarassment that can come with being rich/being white (since most people around the world assume all whites are rich). But as for war, no, guilt does nothing constructive for the present moment.
I feel guilty for bombs too. I know I have nothing to do with dropping them but I do feel a bit guilty. Smart Bombs are Dumb
I don't feel guilty for any bombs as I have never dropped any, or ordered anyone else to drop any. I do feel empathy for any unlucky civilian that does get maimed or killed by one though.
There will soon be less reason to feel guilty as the bomb manufacturers have decided to arm the bombs not only with impact devices or air pressure sensors etc but also a timed explosion will occur if the bomb fails to detonate on impact etc and they reckon there will be less than 0.000001% chance of unexploded ordinance in the very very near future
