Since December 1997, 144 countries have ratified the Ottawa Convention, a treaty (also known as the Mine Ban Treaty) that bans the use, stockpile, production and transfer of antipersonnel landmines (APLs).

Due in large part to the strength of the treaty, international cooperation to eradicate landmines has shown gradual, but marked, success. Since the treaty’s inception, 65 countries have destroyed their stockpiles of landmines—a total of 37 million antipersonnel mines. According to Human Rights Watch, legal trade in the weapon has virtually ceased and more than 1100 square kilometers of mine-affected land have been cleared, saving thousands of lives. In their latest reports, international monitoring bodies have recorded a 3% decrease in landmine related deaths and injuries between 2002 and 2004.

The U.S. has not signed the Mine Ban Treaty, and President Bush has indicated that his administration will not do so. Unfortunately, U.S. non-adherence limits the ability of the international community to completely eradicate landmine use.