Nullified Neutrality: The Lingering Consequences of America’s Secret War

by: Neethini Prathipan

In August 2021, the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) celebrated a milestone. The organization safely and successfully removed its 300,000th unexploded bomb in Laos. The MAG began its mission in 1994 and continues its efforts today. While its success is crucial to ensuring the safety and security of all Laotian citizens, this mission sheds light into the horrific history of Laos and the American contribution. The bombs the MAG work to remove date back to 1964-1973. These bombs were dropped by the CIA and the American State Department as an effort to limit the spread of communism within the Southeast Asia region. The United States did not assume responsibility for their actions, hindering Laos’ economic and social development for decades to come. America’s exertion of influence over this small state through cluster munitions, illustrate the greater dangers of unexploded ordnances and the limited frameworks that exist to combat this issue.

Laos assumed its neutral position in the Vietnam War would limit the destruction of land and the citizen casualties. However, during the 1960s, Laos was seen as a growing threat to American interests. Should Laos fall to the communist forces, the domino effect will deter any US influence in Southeast Asia, affecting their regional interests. Thus began the decade long operation where more than 2.5 million tons of bombs were dropped.

Labelled as a mission to ensure peace, Operation Barrel Roll was a CIA backed project that dropped more than 260 million bombs on Laos from 1964-1973. This mission was controlled by the U.S. Ambassador to Laos and the State Department. Due to a combination of “official denials” and “public indifference” this operation was coined the phrase, “America’s Secret War.” There was nothing secret about this war to the people in Laos, though. On average, the United States dropped a “planeload of bombs every eight minutes, 24 hours a day, for nine years” making Laos the most bombed state in history. Due to the type of bombs and the rainy climate of Laos, a third of the bombs failed to detonate upon immediate dropping. Since then, these cluster munitions unexpectedly detonate, resulting in over 50,000 deaths and injuries years after the war. In the past fifty years, only about 1% of these bombs had been cleared before grassroots organizations and countries began to take notice and assistance efforts were created.

The United States’ need to protect regional interests held no bounds as they opted to disseminate the entire state of Laos in the name of peace and protection. A lack of media attention and complete ignorance of the external powers limited development within Laos. They ignored a state’s guaranteed neutrality in an effort to save their losing war efforts in Vietnam.

The state of Laos after America’s actions requires global concern. An absence of acknowledgement limited the development of the state, hindering its progress decades to come. After deploying millions of bombs, the U.S. exterminated the threat of Laos and no longer saw its interests in the state as crucial or necessary. With limited interest, the country was left to fend for itself. The presence of unexploded weapons limit Laos’ tourism industry, economic development, and the livelihood of every citizen.

Tourism is often a used to expand the economic ventures of a state. Laos, a city once housing beautiful forests, rivers and culture has only recently been able to accept tourists at a steady basis once again. Thanks to grassroots organizations, they have not been able to remove a large number of Unexploded Ordnances (UXOs). However, official state warnings still exist warning tourists of high-risk areas riddled with unexploded bombs. Economically, the presence of UXOs has limited the “socio-economic development of Laos” and with limited funding, complete clearance will still take many decades. It has also caused a skewed balance of the distribution of capital and labour in Laos. Thousands of people suffer death or injuries while completing everyday tasks. Forty percent of the victims are children, who are unaware of the dangers the shiny metal objects on the ground pose.

In 2016, Barack Obama became the first president to acknowledge the actions of the U.S. Government, forty-three years after the last bomb was dropped. In his speech, he addressed the secret nature of the war, the lack of knowledge American’s share regarding their country’s contribution and the next steps needed to limit the threat of citizen lives. Obama’s government also promised various forms of technological teaching to young people and funding of $90 million dollars from 2016-2019.

Outside of the recent assistance,demining efforts rely on grassroots organizations. The Legacies Library works to educate the global public on the history and aftermath of America’s Secret War. Through recent media attention, Laos is slowly recovering after an almost fifty-year period of lack of assistance.To assist Laotian women Baan works with them, creating bracelets made from the left-over metals of exploded bombs. This venture offers a guaranteed income to numerous people who were unable to work due to injuries and threat of lives as a direct cause of these bombs.

Demining efforts did not occur in years after the war. Laotian citizens, while suffering due to the UXOs, have also adapted to their environment. With no external assistance for numerous decades and the need to create various housing and schools for its people, citizens resorted to using the leftover bomb casings for shelter. People have used leftover plane fuel tanks as canoes, use the metal for cutlery, and in some cases, pillars for their homes. Despite their use of these bombs, some are unaware when they’ll explode, living their lives under daily threat. In 2021, 19 people were killed and 47 people were injured due to the presence of UXOs.While citizens attempt to live their lives to the best of their ability, the danger of these bombs is still prevalent.

Laos was not the only state to be devastated by the impact of cluster munitions. In 2010, the Convention of Cluster munitions was introduced. Since then, 109 state parties and 13 signatory states have signed, joined and contribute to the demining efforts of many countries all over the world. The United States has not joined this convention and, according to the Arms Control Association, they have an “estimated one billion submunitions” at present that have the potential to cause a dangerous “global humanitarian crisis.”

America’s usage of cluster bombs questions the success of the Cluster Munitions Convention. Countries that have joined the Convention continue their alliances with the U.S. while having federal laws excusing the use of these weapons. Canada has been attempting to implement Bill C-6, which prohibits the “use, production and stockpiling” of cluster munitions. However,within that same bill,a clause allows for the use of cluster munitions when joining “an ally who has not signed on to the convention”. Canada’s failure to address the inner problems and the disastrous effects of cluster munitions illustrate how various countries lack governance in resolving problems they have directly caused.

The case of Laos illustrates a larger history of dominant countries minimizing the economic and political strength of other states through destroying their lands and people. Demining efforts must be a global effort because the safety, wellbeing and economic progress of citizens and the state are at risk. Countries need better frameworks and governance to address the catastrophic results of unexploded ordnances.