Wednesday, June 21, 2006

First Bolton, Now NRA Goes After UN

(AP) The National Rifle Association believes “people kill people” all over the world regardless of their access to small arms such as pistols, assault rifles and machine guns. The United Nations feels otherwise and scheduled a follow up conference to review progress on a 5 year old initiative to restrain the spread of illegal small arms, especially in conflict zones. The UN found “conflicts are made more deadly and intractable by the availability of illicit small arms.”

For five years the United States as well as all UN member states supported the program. Only recently did the National Rifle Association become involved in a large letter writing campaign. They plan to use Independence Day, which occurs during the progress update conference, to draw attention to their discontent with limiting gun owner’s rights.

While the U.S. ostensibly supports limiting access to small arms, it is currently rather pissed off at the U.N. over big weapons. The recent Independent Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission pointed a big finger at the U.S. over its role in chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons proliferation. President Bush and John Bolton gave the finger back. How this will roll over to the NRA and small weapons remains to be seen? However there is a history of President Bush rolling over for the NRA, so watch out, anything can happen!

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