The recent history of humanitarian de-mining demonstrates that the current strategies, even if expanded exponentially, will not substantially reduce the landmine threat. Those strategies are prescriptions for failure because nearly all peacetime landmine clearance projects share a dependence on the impermanent commitment of a few developed nations. The economic burdens and hazards of landmine clearance are so great that it is impractical to expect that the international community can support humanitarian missions of the scope necessary to produce a long-term solution.

Populations threatened by landmines cannot depend on foreigners to solve their problems. While external assistance can help to reduce acute landmine danger, long term solutions must involve domestic resources. Throughout the 70 landmine-affected countries, international groups have consistently failed to create a locally-based, sustainable mine clearance capability. LCI will empower indigenous groups to organize and conduct their own landmine clearance programs, dramatically enhancing the long-term prospects of those regions.