By Dave Workman
Senior Editor
Following a delay over the status of the Palestinians, the United Nations has opened a discussion that proponents hope will lead to the adoption of an international arms trade treaty that is opposed by gun rights organizations and may have no chance of Senate ratification.
However, the Obama administration reportedly supports the treaty, which is a complete reversal of policy from past administrations, which steadfastly opposed any such agreement.
At least two pieces of legislation—Senate Bill 2205 by Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) and House Bill 3594 by Congressman Joe Walsh (R-IL)—have been introduced with direct involvement of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb will visit the UN later in July during the negotiations, and he was instrumental in founding the International Association for the Protection of Civilian Arms Rights (IAPCAR), which opposes global gun control.
Proponents of the treaty staged a demonstration outside the UN headquarters in New York on the opening day of talks. The international press is following the negotiations, noting opposition from the National Rifle Association.
Just how far gun control backers will push remains to be seen. There is reportedly opposition to the treaty from China and Russia, and it is doubtful that the treaty will be ratified by the Senate if it comes remotely close to threatening Second Amendment sovereignty.
Work on the treaty has been going on for several years, but countries that carry on large scale arms and munitions sales with other nations are not supportive. And while the Obama administration has backed such a treaty since 2009, the American firearms industry is hardly enthusiastic about what might be included in the final document.
Sen. Moran’s bill, dubbed the Second Amendment Sovereignty Act, would prohibit the Obama administration from attempting to influence the arms trade treaty negotiations that could impact the Second Amendment rights of U.S. citizens. The Walsh measure would withhold funding from the UN and prevent this country from adopting any treaty that threatens to abridge gun rights under the Second Amendment.
