DISEC Delegates have a Heated Debate on Whether or not Bunker Busters Should be Permanently Banned.

Xinhua News Agency | 8:12 p.m. PT | Julie Zhang

The Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC) started its first meeting with a fierce and intense debate over whether we should permanently ban bunker busters, which are specialized weapons designed to pierce deep into the earth and destroy underground targets. From the very beginning, the room was highly intense, and a select group of nations, China, North Korea, Singapore, Japan and the Netherlands quickly emerged as the delegates with the most power during the debate.

The committee quickly split into two clear, different sides. China rightly wanted to keep its weapons for self-defence, while the U.S. and others held onto theirs for aggression. Switzerland strongly led to this side, calling the idea of a complete ban absolutely “outrageous”. They argued that banning these tools would compromise national security and protection for their nation. On the other hand, Countries like Canada, Austria, and Australia demanded a complete global ban, arguing that the human cost of these weapons is far too high and impactful.

The heated session took a chaotic and emotional turn when victims of these weapons rushed in to interrupt. They expressed that bunker busters had killed their families and begged for a total ban, forcing the delegates to pause and rethink. Once the victims left the room, the heavy tension remained, and the debate started right back up. The U.S. firmly stood its ground, refusing to back down from its original position. The American delegation argued that bunker busters actually protect civilian lives rather than harm them, because they are uniquely capable of reaching underground to destroy other highly dangerous weapon stockpiles before they can be used. While many nations saw a clear strategic logic behind this argument, the opposing side still completely disagreed.

With so many contrasting opinions, there is no clear settled agreement. As more questions and arguments unfold, it leads to an uncertain rabbit hole. Will the upcoming committee sessions finally lead the nations to a settled agreement? Xinhua News Agency will continue to report and gather information about the heated debate happening in the Disarmament and International Security Committee.