I recognize the horrific humanitarian toll leftover landmines cause. But I've always been against the proposed international ban on landmines because I believe their use, particularly the aerial and rapidly deployable types, sometimes saves American soldiers' lives.

But I'm guessing, with an utter lack of actual knowledge, that it would not be all that hard to design them so that that they degrade to inertness after the tactically relevant period of time. I'd prefer an international treaty requiring that, instead, if feasible.

It's shocking how the detritus of wars long past continues to kill so many, year after year, even many decades after most have forgotten precisely why those wars were fought. Not too long ago, I recall hearing that a souvenir collector was killed by UXO from the Civil War. I've even heard stories of impoverished people sending their own children into potential minefields ahead of livestock they felt they simply could not afford to lose.

Jeff