Topic: Buying-Selling Weapons to Countries in Conflict: Enforcements and Regulations of Security Measures
1. Definitions important to the topic:
-Arms Trade Treaty (ATT): On April 2nd, 2013 the General Assembly voted in favor of the Arms Trade Treaty, regulating the international trade of arms, from small firearms and conventional arms to tanks, military aircrafts and warships. It has the intention of destabilizing arms flow to countries in conflicts, to prevent human rights abusers and violators of the law from being supplied weapons and to avoid warlords, pirates and terrorists from acquiring this deadly tools. Until February 20th, 2014, 116 states have signed the treaty, however only 11 have ratified it, the treaty is ought to enter into force 90 days after the 50th state has ratified it.
2. What is the problem?
The problem consists on the countries that are selling weapons to countries that are in the middle of conflicts and will use the weapons to harm people. The countries that sell the most arms are China, France, the USA, Germany, Russia and the UK.
Why does the problem exist?
It exists because there are a lot of countries that are constantly dealing with conflicts and therefore rely on military power to resolve them.
3. When did the problem start?
We could say the problem started in the 13th century when arms were created, but the problem we are discussing, their sales, has been a problem since the 20th century. It has grown a lot in the last 50
The military has been instrumental in the protection and development of U.S interests around the world. From the Revolutionary War, which established the United States as a nation, through the World Wars, which set up the U.S as one of the world super powers, to its current war on terror, the military has helped and protected U.S. interests around the world. During all these wars American soldiers have proudly served their country. Because of these wars America is famous throughout the world for military power and its protection of freedom in the world. Today the U.S is an international symbol of wealth and power; it has the largest Gross Domestic Product in the world as well as the strongest military. Yet even America falls prey to a
As the technology, build, and practicality of the hand gun changed over the past couple of hundred years, so has the increased want and demand. Of course, as more people started owning guns, the crime rate and deaths by gun shot up. Basically, it used to be every man for himself. As the government started worrying farther than just setting the rules but actually having people abide by the rules, laws and restrictions were set to try to regulate who owned guns and why they would use them. In 1934, Congress first started regulating the sale of automatic firearms. Not until four years later did the government think to make it federal law to require gun sellers to be licensed and to prohibit felons from purchasing them (Policy Issue p1). Even with rules that shops were supposed to follow, there are loopholes. The problem with some people in the U.S. is they will go buy guns because they have no criminal record, and then sell it to someone who is willing to pay them for the gun. Different laws over the years, still standing and also withdrawn, have spelled out different ideas of regulations, “The Gun Control Act of 1968 regulated imported guns, expanded gun-dealer licensing requirements, and expanded the list of persons not eligible to buy guns to include person convicted of any non-business related felony, minors, persons found to be mentally incompetent, and users of illegal drugs,” (Policy Issue p1). Gun
"Battleground America," written by Jill Lepore, provides a strong history of guns and the way they have changed in the eyes of the American through the years. She proves her point with strong evidence throughout her article, sprinkling it with opinion and argument that is strongly supported. She presents her argument to convince her audience that the open availability of guns allows citizens to undeservingly purchase them by displaying the credibility in her sources, using negative connotations in her speech, and the strength and objectivity only a strong logos appeal can provide.
There are an abundance of causes and effects in the way guns are used, purchased, and sold – legally or illegally. A few causes include how guns are kept (with a safety and locked away or not), and in the way guns are obtained. The effects of these acts are, peoples state of mind, and the criticisms law enforcement may receive. Thought of as technical and firm, the laws about guns can easily be bypassed by criminals and people who are not in the right frame of mind.
Guns and weaponry have always been a major part of the cultures of the world since the beginning of time. For the United States of America, gun use can be traced back to the colonial days, our revolutionary roots. They have helped the United States turn the table specifically in times of dire need such as the Revolutionary War. Not only have advances in weaponry influenced the U.S., they have also helped to shape events across the globe. In 1791, this was understood by the Founding Fathers while writing the Constitution, which can be seen in the Second Amendment: “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed”[1]. With the advancement of guns specifically, there has been a rise in mass shootings, casualties, crime and controversy that has begun to split the United States. All a person has to do is turn on the television to a news channel, and at any given time, heartache, most often linked to guns, can be found. Some cry for a need for better gun regulation or sometimes complete abolishment for recreational use, while others cling to their weapons with claim of self-defense and economic profit. Violent crimes have been on the rise years; there has been an estimated 1.2 billion crimes of violence that occurred in the United States alone [2]. One thing is certain: gun trade and regulation boosts the economy. Last year, 301,
Militarism is where a nation should build and maintain a strong military and use it whenever that nation felt like it. Militarism is significant because it started a thing called “The Arms Race” which was a competition were enemy countries would try beat each other in the number of weaponry they had, “Militarism, combined with new weapons, emerging technologies and developments
A country without a strong or stable military can be crucial because that can potentially cause enemies to
I strongly believe in Molly Ivins theory about the comparison between the sell of automobiles and guns. She says “ we do, license automobiles and their owners, restrict their use to presumably sane and sober adults, and keep track of who sells them to whom” (Ivins 389). At minimum, we should do the same with guns (Ivins 389).
All guns are brought in from different countries, Asia, China, North America and Europe. The United States are fighting to keep guns off the streets and although these companies are willing to sale the products to businesses, such as a Sporting goods store or a toy store and a private company that produces the items to whole sales producers that sales these items in the flea markets or a dollar store and other major shops in the United States.
The protection of citizens’ lives, foreign or domestic, is a critical necessity. As a result, the military is the most important organization in a country. In America, for instance, $598 billion is spent each year on the military (“Federal”). Because this is such an expensive, important, and dangerous topic, it is often debated. One of the most common arguments is whether or not America’s military presence is necessary overseas. Due to its foreign benefits, positive domestic effects, and overall creation of World Peace, the negative side of the argument is outweighed. America’s military presence in foreign countries is necessary.
In spite of all the efforts in which the government has procured to face this situation still, this is the day that no agreement has been reached since there are opposing interests of both those who support the idea that owning firearms is safer and on the other hand those who are against. Due to strong threats that major powers such as Russia and China have developed nuclear weapons that could be used as weapons of war. That is why on two occasions the US Senate has proposed to monitor more rejected for lack of support for such a proposal. Although there are about 1000 on the list of citizens are seated from the database of suspected terrorist. At present everyone has the right to own a firearm unless it is revoked by the government due to a federal crime. According to the second amendment of the US regarding the property of firearms. Armed control has been a controversial issue in politics. The gun lobby as
Over the past 10 years gun control has become a very hot topic among americans. Many mass shootings have drawn attention to the “problem” of gun control. Since the second amendment was ratified in 1791 it has been believed that owning a gun is a right that no one can take away. Gun control began to become a common issue in the 1930’s when the first gun “control” act was passed to limit the sale of guns forcing sellers to obtain a permit in order to keep vending the weapons. The cost of the permit was 1 dollar per year which is the equivalent of almost 20 dollars now. 1937 was towards the end of the great depression so one dollar was a lot to ask in that time. Although a high quality shotgun in the 1930’s could be purchased for as little as
The Case Against a U.S.-Arms Monopoly by Christopher J. Coyne and Abigail R. Hall is an article about the controversial topic of the United States having a monopoly over the global arms. Christopher J. Coyne is the F.A. Harper professor of economics at George Mason University and has also taught the University of
With Honduras being the most dangerous country in the world,many of the laws on guns and violence in general need to be re-evaluated. Honduras has almost 850,000 weapons in the country but only around 258,000 are registered. The lax gun laws in Central America have caused there to be an epidemic of murders, 82 per 100,000 people, almost 80% of homicides being firearm related. Central America has 5 times more murders than Iraq a year. Being a part of the “Northern Triangle” along with El Salvador and Guatemala, Honduras is responsible for majority of the gun supply in places such as Mexico. According to the United States officials 50% of the arms trafficking is coming from this region.
The approximate number of war casualties in the past 100 years is estimated to be 180 million. The Second World War (1939-1945) alone accounts for 60 million fatalities, which commenced with a fascist aggression to the European peace. War has been inevitable over centuries, which has been fought for several reasons; competing ideologies, wealth, religious reasons, chase for power through its military actions, which exercises the real power of the state. Power arises from ‘great military powers’ and ‘great economic powers’. Indeed, the greatest powers obtained permanent seats on the Security Council of the United Nations. Can such security organisations including, non-governmental organizations really prevent conflicts? We have seen the inevitability of wars through the history, from which has arisen decades of theoretical debates (First ideologist-realist great debate took place between 1930’s and 1940’s, which focus was on the Nazi threat as well). Why is security crucial? Is there any alternative solution to abolish armed conflicts and struggles between states; or can we conclude, that war is inevitable?