The U.S. military has no honor.
Secret Bombing of Laos
Regions in Laos which were bombed are highlighted in red and yellow.
Laos is the most heavily bombed country in history, on a per capita basis. U.S. Vietnam War-era bombings from 1964-1973 left nearly half of Laos contaminated with vast quantities of unexploded ordnance (UXO). Over 20,000 people have been killed or injured by UXO in Laos since the bombing ceased. Here are some other startling facts about the U.S. bombing of Laos and its tragic aftermath:
◦Over 260 million cluster bombs were dropped on Laos during the Vietnam War (210 million more bombs than were dropped on Iraq in 1991, 1998 and 2006 combined); over 75 million did not detonate.
◦During the bombing, the equivalent of a planeload of bombs was dropped every eight minutes, 24 hours a day for nine years.
◦More than half of all confirmed cluster munitions casualties in the world have occurred in Laos.
◦Each year there continue to be over 100 new casualties in Laos. Close to 40% of the accidents result in death, and 40% of the victims are children.
◦Over the past 16 years, the U.S. has contributed on average $3.1M per year for UXO clearance in Laos; the U.S. spent $17M per day (in 2010 dollars) for nine years bombing Laos.
◦The U.S. spent as much in three days bombing Laos ($51M, in 2010 dollars) than it has spent for clean up in the last 16 years ($51M).
◦Nearly 40 years on, only a fraction of these munitions have been destroyed.
Secret Bombing of Laos
Regions in Laos which were bombed are highlighted in red and yellow.
Laos is the most heavily bombed country in history, on a per capita basis. U.S. Vietnam War-era bombings from 1964-1973 left nearly half of Laos contaminated with vast quantities of unexploded ordnance (UXO). Over 20,000 people have been killed or injured by UXO in Laos since the bombing ceased. Here are some other startling facts about the U.S. bombing of Laos and its tragic aftermath:
◦Over 260 million cluster bombs were dropped on Laos during the Vietnam War (210 million more bombs than were dropped on Iraq in 1991, 1998 and 2006 combined); over 75 million did not detonate.
◦During the bombing, the equivalent of a planeload of bombs was dropped every eight minutes, 24 hours a day for nine years.
◦More than half of all confirmed cluster munitions casualties in the world have occurred in Laos.
◦Each year there continue to be over 100 new casualties in Laos. Close to 40% of the accidents result in death, and 40% of the victims are children.
◦Over the past 16 years, the U.S. has contributed on average $3.1M per year for UXO clearance in Laos; the U.S. spent $17M per day (in 2010 dollars) for nine years bombing Laos.
◦The U.S. spent as much in three days bombing Laos ($51M, in 2010 dollars) than it has spent for clean up in the last 16 years ($51M).
◦Nearly 40 years on, only a fraction of these munitions have been destroyed.
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