U.S. reverses stance on treaty to regulate arms trade

reuters ^ | 5/21/10 | Reuters

[Nachum]

(Reuters) - The United States reversed policy on Wednesday and said it would back launching talks on a treaty to regulate arms sales as long as the talks operated by consensus, a stance critics said gave every nation a veto.

The decision, announced in a statement released by the U.S. State Department, overturns the position of former President George W. Bush's administration, which had opposed such a treaty on the grounds that national controls were better.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the United States would support the talks as long as the negotiating forum, the so-called Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty, "operates under the rules of consensus decision-making."

"Consensus is needed to ensure the widest possible support for the Treaty and to avoid loopholes in the Treaty that can be exploited by those wishing to export arms irresponsibly," Clinton said in a written statement.

[Nachum]

The list

[combat_boots]

Does this include the Small Arms Treaty that Clinton & 0bama support, too?

[JSteff]

Are China, Russia, and NK doing this too?

[broken_arrow1]

Amendment II (1791)

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

[DTogo]

FMCDH !!

[Nachum]

Does this include the Small Arms Treaty that Clinton & 0bama support, too

No idea. These cretins make it up as they go.

[mirkwood]

Unconstitutional.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

[PMAS]

*

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Did You miss amendment 0, rest of constitution
can be ignored or changed by fiat? /S

[Red Badger]

Unconstitutional? Think Again..........

Article VI

All debts contracted and engagements entered into, before the adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.

This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.

[Red Badger]

Excerpt from Article VI:

This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.

[smokingfrog]

banglist

[IYAS9YAS]

This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.

That doesn't exempt treaties from the United States Constitution. This line "anything in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding." applies to state constitutions and laws of states, not the Constitution of the United States.

[savedbygrace]

I bet it ends up being a General Agreement, rather than a Treaty. That way, if an agreement is reached, it doesn’t need a 2/3 vote in the Senate. Simple majorities in both houses instead.

[Red Badger]

This line:

“...all treaties made...shall be the supreme law of the land;”

Is the backdoor, through which our “inalienable” rights will be taken away................

[IYAS9YAS]

This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land

This boils down to laws made under the Constitution shall be subject to the Constitution, as well as any treaties made (under the authority of the United States... i.e. Constitution).

This does not allow for treaties to bypass the Constitution.

[Dayman]

[snip]...”U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the United States would support the talks as long as the negotiating forum, the so-called Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty, “operates under the rules of consensus decision-making.” [/snip]

The most memorable quote I ever heard from the Rush Limbaugh program was “Consensus is the absence of leadership.”

[green iguana]

Treaties are treated the same as laws passed by Congress - if they’re unconstitutional, they’re unenforceable and struck down.