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ProSense

(116,464 posts)
Wed Sep 25, 2013, 12:43 PM Sep 2013

Oxfam: US signs historic Arms Trade Treaty

US signs historic Arms Trade Treaty

New York, NY – International relief and development organization Oxfam welcomed today’s signing of the Arms Trade Treaty by the United States. As the world’s biggest arms exporter, the United States joins more than half of UN member states that have already signed the treaty. This brings the total number of signatures to 89 in the four months since the treaty opened for signature, and that number is expected to top 100 by the end of the day.

Oxfam urged the US to now live up to the spirit of the treaty by not authorizing any transfer of weapons where there is a major risk of violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, such as in the current conflict in Syria. Oxfam also called on the US Senate to quickly ratify the Treaty, and released a report outlining the necessary next steps.

“Today’s signing of the Arms Trade Treaty by the United States is a significant victory for human rights and development,” said Raymond C. Offenheiser, president of Oxfam America. “While the Arms Trade Treaty cannot reverse history, it could prevent the further fueling of conflict if states begin living up to its principles immediately and refuse to supply arms to countries where they are likely to be used to commit atrocities or other serious human rights abuses.”

The Arms Trade Treaty is the first ever global treaty on the global trade in conventional arms and ammunition, requiring governments to establish common standards for the international trade of weapons. It is the global answer to the inadequate patchwork system of national laws, regional initiatives, and country-specific embargoes that have failed to effectively control the world’s deadliest trade up to now.

- more -

http://www.oxfamamerica.org/press/pressreleases/us-signs-historic-arms-trade-treaty


Why Secretary Kerry did the right thing by signing the Arms Trade Treaty

For the world’s foremost arms exporter, this signature is a powerful step.

Marc Cohen is a Senior Researcher on Humanitarian Policy at Oxfam America.

Today, Secretary of State John Kerry signed the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) on behalf of the United States. Despite a lot of ill-informed and ill-intentioned criticism of the Treaty, he did the right thing.

As we point out in a new Oxfam briefing paper, Saving lives by common sense, the ATT is an agreement that will have a positive impact on US security, civilians around the world affected by conflict and instability, and poverty alleviation. The Treaty requires arms-exporting countries to refrain from shipments when there is an “overriding risk” that the weapons will support genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes. So the ATT places a stigma on arms transfers that are likely to contribute to mass atrocities, violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, terrorism, or global organized crime.

The Treaty requires the governments that sign it to establish effective arms import and export control systems, and also to cooperate and share information about the arms trade. By shining a bright light on one of the world’s least transparent trade sectors, the ATT will inject a new measure of accountability in the global arms bazaar. The Treaty also requires signatory states to assess the risk that arms transfers pose to women and children, and thus offers an important new tool in the worldwide fight against gender-based violence.

The goals of the ATT are in keeping with long-standing US policy and practice. Both Republican and Democratic administrations have sought to keep arms exports from fueling atrocities and have worked to reign in rogue arms dealers. The Treaty will establish a new global regulatory framework for conventional weapons while recognizing that legal arms sales are a legitimate part of international commerce and security.

- more -

http://politicsofpoverty.oxfamamerica.org/2013/09/25/why-secretary-kerry-did-the-right-thing-by-signing-the-arms-trade-treaty/


Amnesty International:


US Secretary of State John Kerry signs the Arms Trade Treaty at the UN.

Following reports that US Secretary of State John Kerry will sign the Arms Trade Treaty on behalf of the USA on Wednesday morning, Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s Secretary General said:

“This is a milestone towards ending the flow of conventional arms that fuel atrocities and abuse. The USA is the world's largest arms dealer, but has so far had a mixed record of suspending arms supplies on human rights grounds.

“We now need to see this commitment by the US - and the 86 other countries that have signed the Arms Trade Treaty - matched by action. They must implement the Treaty and bring to an end the supply of weapons to countries where they would be used to commit or facilitate genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes or other serious human rights violations.

“The tragic situation in Syria underlines the horrific human cost of the reckless global arms trade. The Arms Trade Treaty is the opportunity to prevent such human suffering in the future. Governments must seize this once in a lifetime opportunity. The world is now waiting for China and Russia to match the US commitment."

- more -

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/usa-set-sign-arms-trade-treaty-2013-09-24
18 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Oxfam: US signs historic Arms Trade Treaty (Original Post) ProSense Sep 2013 OP
Now this will drive the right wing "sovereignty first" folks crazy. Ratification in the Senate pampango Sep 2013 #1
Yup. n/t ProSense Sep 2013 #3
It's good the Executive has signed it; it'll take work to convert the senators scared of the NRA muriel_volestrangler Sep 2013 #4
Yes. n/t ProSense Sep 2013 #6
K & R Scurrilous Sep 2013 #2
Another step towards peace. n/t BlueToTheBone Sep 2013 #5
Kick! n/t ProSense Sep 2013 #7
This will never be ratified by the Senate, of course. Llewlladdwr Sep 2013 #8
Would ProSense Sep 2013 #9
Yes, I would. Llewlladdwr Sep 2013 #10
What ProSense Sep 2013 #11
I believe this treaty could lead to a national gun registry. Llewlladdwr Sep 2013 #12
That's nonsense. The treaty has nothing to do with Americans' gun rights. n/t ProSense Sep 2013 #13
It seems we have a difference of opinion. nt Llewlladdwr Sep 2013 #14
You're paranoid, and uncaring and ignorant about the world outside the USA muriel_volestrangler Sep 2013 #15
Is this just a vague, generalized fear or is there something specific in the treaty pampango Sep 2013 #16
It doesn't matter how many times the facts are repeated ProSense Sep 2013 #17
Arms Treaty Now Signed by Majority of U.N. Members pampango Sep 2013 #18

pampango

(24,692 posts)
1. Now this will drive the right wing "sovereignty first" folks crazy. Ratification in the Senate
Wed Sep 25, 2013, 01:01 PM
Sep 2013

will be an entertaining zoo. The NRA will fight this even though it does not affect domestic gun production and sales. The tea party goes ballistic over this treaty as an infringement on our national sovereignty by the evil, "one-world-government in the making" United Nations.

Kudos to Obama and Kerry for signing and promoting this treaty.

muriel_volestrangler

(101,149 posts)
4. It's good the Executive has signed it; it'll take work to convert the senators scared of the NRA
Wed Sep 25, 2013, 02:49 PM
Sep 2013
It was adopted by the UN General Assembly in April on a 154-3 tally, with only Iran, Syria and North Korea voting no. Twenty-three countries abstained.

The accord confronts opposition in the U.S. Senate and has dim prospects for ratification there. In March, senators voted 53-46 for a symbolic measure opposing U.S. participation in the treaty. A two-thirds Senate majority is needed for ratification.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-09-25/kerry-signs-arms-trade-treaty-opposed-by-majority-in-u-dot-s-dot-senate


You think that siding with Iran, Syria and North Korea would drive the Republicans to ratify it. But since even some Democratic senators opposed it symbolically earlier, the NRA has clearly put the wind up some of them. Or they're morons, of course. Two-thirds majority needed.

The March vote: http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=1&vote=00091

Every Republican voted against the treaty.

Llewlladdwr

(2,165 posts)
8. This will never be ratified by the Senate, of course.
Thu Sep 26, 2013, 01:21 AM
Sep 2013

But I guess it gives the gun control crowd a warm fuzzy...

ProSense

(116,464 posts)
9. Would
Thu Sep 26, 2013, 01:28 AM
Sep 2013

"This will never be ratified by the Senate, of course. But I guess it gives the gun control crowd a warm fuzzy..."

...you be upset if it was?

Llewlladdwr

(2,165 posts)
12. I believe this treaty could lead to a national gun registry.
Thu Sep 26, 2013, 02:28 AM
Sep 2013

Or at least an attempt to impose one on the nation. I oppose the creation of such a registry and therefore oppose this treaty.

muriel_volestrangler

(101,149 posts)
15. You're paranoid, and uncaring and ignorant about the world outside the USA
Thu Sep 26, 2013, 05:55 AM
Sep 2013

This isn't about you, or your guns. You have been brainwashed by the NRA and Republicans. I hope no Democrat listens to you about this. The world would suffer if they did.

pampango

(24,692 posts)
16. Is this just a vague, generalized fear or is there something specific in the treaty
Thu Sep 26, 2013, 06:35 AM
Sep 2013

that makes you believe this?

A treaty to control the flow of weapons to dictators, insurgents and terrorists seems like a good thing. A treaty that led to the UN forcing countries to regulate or eliminate gun ownership would be contentious, to say the least, and sounds like the right wing conspiracy theory about the UN as an approaching "One World Government".

pampango

(24,692 posts)
18. Arms Treaty Now Signed by Majority of U.N. Members
Thu Sep 26, 2013, 11:24 AM
Sep 2013

A pioneering United Nations treaty aimed at regulating the global trade in conventional weapons surpassed a symbolically important threshold on Wednesday when 18 countries, most notably the United States, officially signed the document, pushing the total number to more than half of the organization’s member states.

Proponents of the treaty, which was adopted overwhelmingly by the 193-member General Assembly in April, but still required signing and ratification, said the latest signatures would provide new momentum for putting it into effect. But that goal could still be a year away, some say.

The treaty, which took seven years to negotiate, is considered by rights advocates to be a landmark document that would for the first time impose moral standards on the enormous cross-border trade in conventional arms that fuel conflicts around the world. It is devised to thwart sales to users who would break humanitarian law, foment genocide or war crimes, engage in terrorism, or kill women and children.

The treaty covers trade in tanks, armored combat vehicles, large-caliber weapons, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, missiles and launchers, small arms, and light weapons.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/26/world/arms-treaty-now-signed-by-majority-of-un-members.html

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