The U.S. decision to supply Ukraine with anti-personnel mines has sparked controversy within the international community, which has essentially banned the manufacturing and use of such weapons. The 1997 Ottawa Convention prohibits antipersonnel mines’ use, production, and transfer. Although the U.S. hasn’t signed the convention, the least its allies expect from its transatlantic ally is not to supply anti-personnel mines or endorse their use in Europe.
However, the EU has neither endorsed nor opposed the U.S. action. This silence may suggest that the EU supports the plan for a foreign government to mine European soil, which poses a danger to the civilian population for decades to come in post-war Europe. Regardless of the type or lifecycle of the mines, they pose significant risks for the Europeans in decades to come.
Once again, decisions made in Washington are likely to have severe consequences for the future of Europe, highlighting the aggressive nature of U.S. foreign policy. The United States appears willing to use any means necessary to counter its long-time adversary, Russia, without considering the potential long-term impacts on its allies.
These allies are yet to grasp the ramifications of granting their transatlantic partner a carte blanche to wage a proxy war on European soil. The current leadership of the European Union, as well as future leaders, must reassess their relationship with the U.S. This evaluation should encompass not only military strategies for defending Europe but also economic ties, especially given the uncertainty surrounding the U.S. economy, which heavily relies on the U.S. arms manufacturing sector. The Pentagon’s ability to provide and sell arms and intelligence services to its allies is vital to sustaining the country’s economic health. That all depends on the U.S.’s ability to draw its allies into proxy wars.
Subservience for the arms sales and intelligence services is the financing and rebuilding sectors, which create long-time dependencies between the U.S. and countries affected by wars and regional turmoil.
After all, initiating the proxy wars requires rebuilding and long-term funding.
