Yesterday John Kerry signed an treaty purporting to control the international small weapons trade. I think such a treaty is desperately needed to lessen the needless deaths from genocide and war crimes. I have an article here, that explains the treaty quite well, but it fails explain that it’s all for show.
US Secretary of State John Kerry will this week sign the first global treaty to regulate the $80 billion annual trade in conventional arms, seeking to stem the flow of weapons used in war crimes and genocide.
A source familiar with the diplomatic maneuvers confirmed to AFP that Kerry would sign the treaty on Wednesday after it was adopted earlier this year by the United Nations to regulate trade in tanks, armored combat vehicles, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, missiles as well as small arms.
The treaty, which has been years in the making, was only adopted after tough negotiations at the United Nations. The talks had deadlocked last year after the United States asked for more time to pour over the draft text.
Kerry praised the adoption of the treaty in saying it was “strong, effective and implementable” and insisted it would not infringe on the US Constitution and the Second Amendment right to bear arms…
Inserted from <Raw Story>
Here’s the problem. In order to be ratified, it needs 2/3 of the Senate or 67 votes. If 34 Senators vote against it, it fails. Unfortunately 35 senators have already signed a resolution to outlaw this treaty. They include 33 Republicans and two other goose-steppers: Max “BARF” Baucus (DINO-MT), who helped Republicans weaken ObamaCare, and Joe Manchin (DINO-WV), hostage to Gun and Coal manufacturers. The current Republican conspiracy theory is that this treaty is socialist plot to take away their guns. Of course the real reason is that the same gun manufacturers who insist that anyone be able to purchase guns, even those forbidden by law to do so, also demand the right of terrorists and militias, foreign or domestic, to buy guns. It’s all about blood money.
10 Responses to “The Arms Control Treaty That Isn’t”
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Treaties are all well and good but the signers have to abide by them in order to be effective. An what of the nations who don't sign?
Namely us, the world's biggest arms supplier.
Anything good can be derailed by evil and indifference…. sigh!
In this case, it's by evil.
The treaty, which has been years in the making, will be derailed by the G-NO-P. sigh
Got it, Richard.
So this is just another waste of the taxpayers money. I am almost starting to wish that I could ignore all tis and just watch Entertainment Tonight.
To nefotiate and sign the treaty was not a waste. It can be used to show the need. Pnly the Republican sabotage is a waste.
There has been more than enough time to review the treaty. Before the ratification vote, all members of the Senate (I believe the Senate is the one that ratifies treaties for the US) should have personally read the treaty and prepared any questions to bring up in the debate. This should be a bipartisan vote, not a "blacktracing" vote.
I wonder, if another terrorist attack were launched against US interests by terrorists using US made weapons purchased directly from a US weapons manufacturer, what would be the fallout from such a situation?
At the very least, Republicanus/Teabaggers would be filled with such vitriole and pointing at the administration's perceived ineptitude. They would never take responsibility for their own role, that of not ratifying an arms treaty that may have made a difference.
Again, we see that profits trump people!
Amen Lynn. Plus Neocons want another excuse for war.