The ban was continued and in the autumn of 1993 the American government proposed a resolution at the United Nations, calling on all other countries to do the same. The British were appalled. The resolution made it impossible for Britain to sell its land-mines. It would also prohibit them from buying mines, or running joint ventures with the United States, France or Italy. The country whose government prides itself on being the world's largest arms exporter after the United States would find itself bound and shackled.
Mines are operationally extremely effective.
They kill armour. They're cheap to employ. Clinton's ambassador at the UN refused. In October 1993 Leahy and three other leading senators despatched a somewhat threatening private letter to Sir Robin Renwick, British ambassador in Washington. British arrogance had backfired.