US President Donald Trump on Friday reversed the previous Obama administration's policy that prohibited the military from employing anti-personnel landmines outside of the Korean Peninsula.
The Department of Defence is issuing a new landmine policy, said White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham.
"As part of President Donald J Trump's steadfast commitment to ensuring our forces are able to defend against any and all threats, the President has cancelled the Obama administration's policy to prohibit United States military forces from employing anti-personnel landmines outside of the Korean Peninsula," she said.
The Pentagon, she said, has determined that restrictions imposed on American forces by the Obama administration's policy could place them at a "severe disadvantage during a conflict against our adversaries".
"The President is unwilling to accept this risk to our troops," Grisham said.
According to Grisham, the policy will authorise Combatant Commanders, in exceptional circumstances, to employ advanced, non-persistent landmines specifically designed to reduce unintended harm to civilians and partner forces.
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"This action is yet another in a series of actions taken by the Trump administration to give our military the flexibility and capability it needs to win. President Trump is rebuilding our military, and it is stronger than ever," she said.
Grisham said that the President will continue to support and equip US troops so that they will forever remain the greatest fighting force in the world.
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