UXO Center

  I apologize for including this in my blog but I felt compelled after my visit.   UXO stands for unexploded  ordinance. I was urged to visit this center to understand the problems Laos is suffering as a result of the American Air War here. Despite 2 presidents insisting we were not doing it, Laos had more bombs dropped on it the any place in history. The worst bomb was the anti personnel cluster bomb, a huge bomb packed with baseball size mini bombs. 

   The consequences are still haunting this poor country. The UN and Australia

  ( not the US ) funded this project to help clean up the unexploded bombs littering this country. They are disarming 50,000 bombs a year, there is 70 MILLION more. 

     The poor villagers dig up bombs to recycle the metals, it often doesn't end well. In the markets they sell souvenirs made from bombs. The say a Loatian is blown up almost every day , often children. We've left a terrible legacy here.