Reuters reports that within hours of Barack Obama's re-election, the United States agreed to an international treaty that would regulate the $70 billion global arms trade. U.S. officials say it will not affect domestic arms sales, only exports. From Reuters:
...[T]he U.N. General Assembly's disarmament committee moved quickly after Obama's win to approve a resolution calling for a new round of talks March 18-28. It passed with 157 votes in favor, none against and 18 abstentions.
U.N. diplomats said the vote had been expected before Tuesday's U.S. presidential election but was delayed due to Superstorm Sandy, which caused a three-day closure of the United Nations last week.
An official at the U.S. mission said Washington's objectives have not changed.
"We seek a treaty that contributes to international security by fighting illicit arms trafficking and proliferation, protects the sovereign right of states to conduct legitimate arms trade, and meets the concerns that we have been articulating throughout," the official said.
"We will not accept any treaty that infringes on the constitutional rights of our citizens to bear arms," he said.
The Second Amendment Foundation reacted to this development with strong words.
"It's obvious that our warnings over the past several months have been true," said Alan Gottlieb, founder and executive vice president of the Second Amendment Foundation. "The election was called about 11 p.m. Tuesday and by 11 a.m. this morning, we got word that the United States was supporting this resolution. We have to be more vigilant in our efforts to stop this proposed treaty."
SAF Operations Director Julianne Versnel, who has been back and forth to the United Nations over this proposal, said the fight is not finished. The measure will be considered for finalization in March 2013.
"We will continue to monitor this issue and oppose any effort to enforce a global gun control measure," she stated.
Amnesty International issued a statement Wednesday lauding passage of the resolution, saying the treaty will protect human rights.
"The right of self-defense is a human right," Gottlieb countered, "and in this country, the Second Amendment protects that right.
"Just days ago as he campaigned for re-election," he concluded, "Barack Obama told his supporters that voting is the 'best revenge.' I guess now we know what he was talking about. The revenge he seeks is against American gun owners and their Second Amendment rights."
