Maybe not in the declaration, but certainly in the discussions for much of the decade leading up to it. I've been a gun nut and history buff nearly all my life, and I last taught LOAC in 1997, shortly before I retired from the USAF. We may not have signed the declaration, but we did in fact follow it for quite some time. Mostly, at least. The 5.56mm round used in the M-16 was used as a way to get around the prohibition on expanding bullets. They don't expand, just tumble and bounce. Seems to me that the newer versions of the round are not so likely to do that, as the older design was unreliable. I learned to use the M-16 while the war was still going on, but missed out on taking part in it. Never did like the M-16 as a weapon of war, but they were fun to shoot. Would have preferred something like an M1 or Garand for distance work, and a Tommy gun for jungle or close-up work. Fortunately for me I never had to do that sort of thing, just dodge a few Scud-B’s during the 1st Persian Gulf War.
OS
WRM, MSgt, USAF(Ret.)
1973-1997
Yes, we do have a habit of not signing agreements (rightfully so) but then following them. . .as the referenced article points out.
I dodged a few when in Gulf War I, with the 101st as a USAF FAC on the ground.