UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A U.N. meeting meant to expand a five-year-old crackdown on the illicit global trade in small arms ended in chaos on Friday as delegates ran out of time without reaching agreement on a plan for future action. "There was a total meltdown at the end. You don't know if it was a conspiracy or just a screw-up," said one delegate, speaking on condition of anonymity. Other delegates said negotiations had simply proceeded too slowly, leaving too much to accomplish on the last day. But Rebecca Peters of the London-based International Action Network on Small Arms accused governments of letting a few states "hold them all hostage and to derail any plans which might have brought any improvements in this global crisis." IANSA identified the main players blocking agreement as Cuba, India, Iran, Pakistan and Russia. Other gun control activists named China, Egypt and Venezuela as well. The meeting was dogged from the start by zealous members of the U.S. National Rifle Association, who flooded the United Nations with letters falsely accusing it of secretly plotting to take away Americans' guns on July 4, a U.N. holiday marking U.S. Independence Day when delegates did not meet. The George W. Bush administration, an ally of the rifle association, set the tone from the start when UnderSecretary of State for Arms Control Robert Joseph laid out a long list of proposals that Washington would not accept. Joseph, however, said Washington was willing to endorse a set of global principles aimed at keeping small arms out of the hands of groups intent on human rights abuse, genocide or breaking U.N. arms embargoes. The idea of tightening controls on international arms transfers turned out to be a popular one, winning support from 115 governments, IANSA's Anthea Lawson said. But plans for a formal appeal for tougher controls died at the meeting's end, although it was expected to resurface later in the year in the 192-nation U.N. General Assembly. The conference was called to update a 2001 action plan against illegal small arms, which as defined by the United Nations range from pistols and rifles to grenades, mortars and shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles. But two weeks of negotiations and speeches came to naught. "In my estimation, an agreed final declaration was within grasp," said conference president Prasad Kariyawasam, Sri Lanka's U.N. ambassador. But he said the meeting had still succeeded by focusing attention on the small arms issue.
My fear is that one day under a different administration they won't. An essential part of being free is the ability to protect yourself, your family and your country from external and internal enemies. Without the 2nd Amendment everything else is just writing on a piece of paper for lack of the ability to enforce it.
Quite frankly, I see little use for man portable rockets, and the indiscriminant ill effects of land mines are obvious. Other "small" arms shouldn't be touched in any way shape or form. The blue hats want it to be tanks against the unarmed. Funny thing is, if international trade in small arms is banned, the UN itself will have troubles arming, as the mfrs won't be able to stay in business. I note with interest that China is pretty clearly arming the rogue states --
Dose anyone know where you can find a copy of their proposal on line? I had seen it and read the early version of the resolution as it came from comities a few years ago (the site it was on is gone now) and it wasnt just talking about RPGs and mines and such, while it did mention those type of things, it listed everything down to bow and arrows, spears, slings, and so on and clearly stated they wanted them all gone along with private ownership of ALL firearms and other weapons, even to the point that they wanted to be able to go after someone for haveing a pointy stick.
Video of the gun debate about the UN taking them. with Rebeca Peterson who works for George Sorrows. http://www.nraila.org/news/Multimedia/Player.aspx?ID=71
Here is the best video for the info about this. Send this Link to everyone you know, get the word out! http://www.nraila.org/news/Multimedia/Player.aspx?ID=19
