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  • Arms Trade Treaty: Media Need an Advanced Class on Treaties

    In answering media questions on the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), I have found that hosts frequently state, as a matter of fact, that treaties require a two-thirds Senate majority, and if they don’t get it, they have no legal effect. Like all things, it’s not that simple. Here’s a … More

    Reaction to the Latest Draft of the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty

    In early July, I spent two weeks at the U.N. conference on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The conference ends on July 27, and I’m back for this final week. The president of the U.N. conference on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) has just released a draft treaty text. Here … More

    5 Fundamental Flaws in the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty

    The overwhelming majority of commentary in the United States on the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) has focused on the possible risks it poses to rights protected under the Second Amendment. There is nothing wrong with being watchful on this front, but the ATT raises broader concerns for U.S. foreign … More

    Can the U.N. Grab Americans’ Guns?

    For much of the past two weeks, I’ve been attending the U.N.’s Arms Trade Treaty conference in New York and blogging on the craziness of Turtle Bay. A number of comments on my blogs—and many external commentators—have raised the question of whether the ATT is, pure and simple, a “gun … More

    Heritage Analyst Speaks to U.N. Arms Trade Treaty Conference

    On Wednesday morning, nongovernmental organizations made presentations to the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) conference. Heritage’s Ted R. Bromund, senior research fellow in Anglo-American relations in the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, spoke as follows: Thank you, Mr. President, for the opportunity to offer written remarks to be placed in … More

    A First-Week Roundup from the U.N.’s Arms Trade Treaty Conference

    Here are a few notable events and themes that caught my eye during my first week at the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) conference: The totalitarian states are deviously brilliant. Their representatives have been around for years, so they know everyone, and they know the drill. They waste time expertly … More

    Day 4: As ATT Conference Work Begins, Venezuela Wins the Crazy Prize

    After a quiet afternoon Thursday, the third day of the U.N.’s Arms Trade Treaty conference closed with a bang. The conference president, Ambassador Roberto Garcia Moritán, again tried to persuade the delegates to accept his proposal that, on Friday, they split into two working groups, one to consider the treaty’s … More

    Day Three: At the Arms Trade Treaty Conference, the U.S. Speaks

    After the dictatorial circus of the morning, the afternoon session of the ATT Conference was comparatively calm. The lowlight was the address by Saudi Arabia, which seemed to be doing its best to outbid Egypt in the “we support Palestine” sweepstakes. No demand was too extreme: Palestinian state membership in … More

    Day Three: At the ATT, the International League of Supervillains Speaks

    After the Palestinian fireworks of the first two days, the third day of the U.N.’s Arms Trade Treaty conference started slowly, with a series of national statements. None was without interest. What comes through loud and clear is that what the African nations, in particular, want is a treaty that … More

    Day Two: Palestinian Issue Continues to Vex Arms Trade Treaty Conference

    The second day of the U.N.’s Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) Conference, July 3, opened much as the first day had closed: with a very delayed start. The issue, still, was the Palestinian demand—instigated by Egypt—to be included as full participants in the conference, which continued to meet staunch resistance from … More