Temporary Archive: Suzanne Brockmann's Message Board

There are a couple of problems with landmines, there use and there clearance that make them more difficult a problem--but not an unfixable one. There are few places in the world that are as ordnance polluted as Europe--particualarly France and Germany--were after WWII. Apperantly those guys are doing okay (though they still have explosives pick up days in France). SO, the landmine is a bit difficult because it is made to resist the elements and it is designed, frequently, to avoid detection. But the biggest problem in Third worl countries with landmines is the lack of discipline in their use. In Elsavadore, the conscripts would litter the area in front of their foxholes with small antipersonnel "toe popper" mines. These would get washed away in heavy rains into streams etc the point is that in WWII, the mine fields were carfeully constructed and the mines could be found. Today, the parties using mines have different goals so there methods are different and less discipline. Oh, and using aircraft to set "offensive" mine fields is a real mess. But really, the biggest impediment to cleaning ground is the fascination with finding mines. An analogy I use is that a potatoe farmer doesn't care where each potatoe is, but he does care that he get them out of the ground unbroken. A mine guy insists he has to find the mne fist, which I don't think is true--just build a machine that can dig it up--oh, and mine clearance is a cottage industry in developing countries with the problem--don't even think of showing Cambodians how to clean faster--the are going to do the whole country 30" lanes at a time---their grandkids have job security--anyway, I think I am way off your question--if the effort is put in and their is an economic driver to clear the mines (agriculture, fine vineyards, poppy fields) I think the problem will be fixed in 4-6 years.