Their opposition to Ms. Williams' ban was tempered by the fact that it does not prohibit such so-called "anti-handling devices" -- just America's free-standing "smart" APLs.
It will ban basically any ordnance that is capable of having the effects of anti-personnel landmines by not differentiating between those weapons "primarily designed" to act as APLs and those that are not.
We understand that the Senate may shortly be asked to consider an amendment to the FY 1999 Defense Authorization bill that would have the effect of creating a statutory requirement for the U.S. military to cease all use of anti-personnel landmines (APLs) by 2006, if not before.