Opinion: Tighten global arms restrictions

The United Nations on Monday convened its conference on illicit small arms trafficking with the goal of tightening global restrictions on the sales of machine guns, rocket launchers, grenades and other small weapons used in guerilla conflicts around the world. An international accord backed by the United States, the world's biggest weaponsmaker, could go a long way toward curbing the illicit trade in lethal weapons. Regrettably, the Bush administration expressed concern that the U.N. draft declarations could infringe on Americans' constitutional right to bear arms.

"The United States believes that the responsible use of firearms is a legitimate aspect of national life," said Undersecretary of State John Bolton, the U.S. representative to the conference, in his opening remarks, which could have been written by the National Rifle Association itself.

The United States could have asserted leadership on this issue but instead chose to shamelessly pander to the NRA. U.S. Rep. Bob Barr, a Georgia Republican who serves on the NRA board of directors, claims that the U.N. draft declarations could be used to "directly involve the United Nations in domestic firearms policy." As hard as it may be for Barr to grasp, the aim of the conference is not to disarm Americans but to keep deadly weapons out of the hands of thugs and warlords around the globe.

The United Nations estimates there are more than 500-million small arms floating around the world, half of which are illegally acquired. Many of these weapons wind up in the hands of almost 300,000 child soldiers and guerrilla warriors, from Sierra Leone to Colombia. Amnesty International estimates that almost 200,000 people a year are killed with these small arms.

This conference -- like most U.N. assemblies -- will not produce a legally binding treaty. Countries have offered up conflicting proposals, and it is unlikely that the assembly will reach any complete consensus. What was missing at the conference was U.S. leadership, which seems to be in short supply in several areas.

When it comes to international treaties, Bush has yet to find one he likes. He rejected the Kyoto protocol on global warming, and he is trying to persuade the Russians that the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty has outlived its usefulness. However, a global attempt to clamp down on illegal arms trafficking can't compete with the administration's need to keep the NRA happy.

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