Humanitarian Demining Policy
Abstract
The United States has made significant progress in halting the proliferation of land mines and in demining twenty-five of the world's most land mine-threatened countries. U.S. policy of controlling land mines and promoting humanitarian demining remains consistent with the integrated strategic approach promulgated through the slogan "Shape, Respond, and Prepare Now". The complexity of humanitarian demining operations necessitates highly specialized approaches tailored to conditions found in each situation and region. However, study of successful demining operations following World War II, the Gulf War and the Cold War provides worthwhile lessons. The U.S. Humanitarian Demining Strategy and Demining 2010 Initiative describe the challenges posed by non-self-destructing antipersonnel landmines. To implement this strategy, the United States should consider adopting one or a combination of the following four humanitarian demining options: (1) use of military forces employing new technologies; (2) government funding for civilian contractors demining with traditional techniques; (3) provision of economic incentives for private investors to offset the added cost of developing opportunities in land mine-threatened areas; and (4) U.S. leadership and coordination of resources in international demining operations. This strategic study analyses these options and recommends a U.S. demining strategy for the first decade of the 21th Century.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 10, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA377469
Entities
People
- Michael R. Helmick
Organizations
- United States Army War College