Why the world needs an arms treaty

by REUTERS

Opinions Jul. 26, 2012 - 06:49AM JST ( 7 )

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7 Comments

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BertieWoosterJul. 26, 2012 - 07:39AM JST

A positive move.

No country should have nuclear weapons, for example.

Not NK, not Iran, and not the U.S.A.

Nobody should have weapons of mass destruction.

Get rid of chemical and biological weapons and land mines too.
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SimondBJul. 26, 2012 - 10:13AM JST

Don't hold your breath Bertie.
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BertieWoosterJul. 26, 2012 - 12:21PM JST

Brother SimonB,

I'm not known for holding my breath, but rather for blurting it out and afterwards wishing I hadn't clicked the "SUBMIT" button.

In this case, though, I've given the matter some thought.

I do think that we ought to have more REAL two way communication (i.e. talking AND listening) that leads to understanding between representatives of nations, especially on the matter of arms. The vested interests, notably those who profit from war should be booted out and kept out.

The Japanese government tends to listen to the vested interest and not to the people it is supposed to represent and is about as transparent as a one meter thick lead shield painted black.

This article is a step in the right direction. We do need an international arms treaty. Getting agreement on it may not be easy. But on the other hand, since we are all living on the same planet, it might not be as impossible as you imply.

Fighting or waving weapons at people doesn't bring peace, it submerges aggression and encourages terrorism.
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Frank VaughnJul. 26, 2012 - 03:13PM JST

Bertie, agreed the governments need to talk and communicate about this and get it under control. I also see another potential benefit, the (as some people call it) out of control gun problem in the U.S. There are millions of illegal guns on the streets there and more available every day. Get the illegal arms sales under control and I am guessing it will reduce the number of black market guns everywhere (well there will have to be an attrition period).
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BertieWoosterJul. 26, 2012 - 04:25PM JST

Addendum to the above.

I suppose the police and military need guns.

They would look a bit sorry without them.

When I suggested stopping making them, I was referring to those guns sold for non-police, non-military use.
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SerranoJul. 27, 2012 - 07:23PM JST

"the United States, the world's biggest arms exporter"

A close second is Russia, followed by the benevolent Germany and the benevolent France.
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edojinJul. 29, 2012 - 04:57PM JST

Why the world needs an arms treaty. Explaining this is just a waste of words. The leaders of the world feel more comfortable with their arsenals full of weapons. Like it or not, it's just logical in the climate that has existed since the Great War and WWII and the many mini-wars that have followed since.