Stopping the arms trade

With our economy a mess and the world economy messy as well, it is easy to forget about other problems. One of those "other problems" is the proliferation of arms. It is especially easy to forget, given that our export economy includes a significant sale of armaments.

There is a campaign to stop this trade called "The World Is Watching." The goal? To get the 153 governments who voted at the United Nations to develop an arms treaty. This vote took place in 2006, but so far there is no treaty.

This proposed treaty is not about nuclear arms. It is about the use of conventional war arms. There has been a history of various agreements made in conflict areas, and the agreements are something that any civilized society can agree with. For example: Transfers of arms, ammunition, explosives and other related material shall not be carried to or from states which … commit or sponsor crimes against humanity or human rights violations (Code of Conduct-Central American States), or member states will not issue an export license if there is a clear risk that the proposed export might be used for internal repression (European Union Code of Conduct).

According to an Amnesty International report, the United States was the biggest source of illicit small arms seized in Colombia. The U.S. was the primary source by thousands followed by Germany, Venezuela and Russia, in that order. Russia wins the arms sweepstakes in some other countries such as Cote d'Ivoire.

China is not exempt from the arms export business either. It has "made available" huge amounts of arms sales to the Sudan. It has a very vested interest. China has become cozy with the Sudanese government because of its oil. It has looked the other way while the Sudanese government has committed unspeakable acts in Darfur. China has continued to supply arms to Sudan while the government pushes into Southern Sudan in partnership with the Chinese to drill for oil. The grand total in small arms in 2006 was $17.2 million. Within one year from 2006 to 2007 there were 409 military and police flights to Darfur from the larger government. The Chinese government has made available eight K-8 jet fighters for use in Darfur. According to Amnesty International, these jets were equipped with cannons, rockets and bombs. The Russians contributed planes as well to the Sudan government.

So, the question is how do you prevent such insanity? The only option is for a worldwide treaty with pressure from each country's citizens. Recommendations have included outlining provisions for state-to-state transfer of weapons, commercial sales rules and loans and gifts from governments to other governments.

One of the ways that an arms treaty that would end arms to the bad guys of the world is to make sure that countries passed their own laws that mandated certain restrictions and transparency rules as to how small arms would be sold and tracked if they were produced in that country. That would take massive country-by-country pressure from citizens.

Legal small-arms exports from the United States have been tracked at about one half billion dollars per year. It would be easy in this economy to increase this as a way to help our balance of trade. We need to pressure the next president to decrease small arms exports and push through national legislation to make sure they don't go to the bad guys. In the long run, it costs all of us as we fight rogue regimes and human-rights violators.

Relationship between Afghanistan and the U.S. will improve under a new American president

The relationship between the United States and Afghanistan will improve under the new American president said Said Tayeb Jawad-Ambassador of Afghanistan to the U.S. at a conference today. Jawad added that Afghanistan is "working hard with our American friends" to help in "not only fighting
terrorism," but helping the economy and well-being of Afghan citizens.

Jawad said he was happy with the recent improvement in the economy in Afghanistan, but there was "further business potential." He said the greatest improvements in Afghanistan's economy have been made in telecommunications and mining. He added that "promoting investment opportunities" in Afghanistan internationally is important as well.

Chairman of the Institute for State Effectiveness, Ashraf Ghani said Afghanistan is at a "fork at the road" between a vicious circle and a virtuous circle. Ghani stated that the vicious circle included an economy that created an atmosphere where "people are forced to embrace the gun." That would also create "new enemies" for the country, according to Ghani. He said that a virtuous circle would mean a
"stable" economy where the poor become "stakeholders in the system."

Ghani added that Afghanistan had five "latent assets" that could drastically improve the economy of the country if used properly. He said they were water, geology, agriculture, location, and money. He
called these assets latent because they were not being used currently by the government. Ghani also said that water specifically was "critical to the region" and would be as valuable as oil in time.

Today at Talk Radio News

Pentagon Correspondents Dawn Casey and Adrian Frost will attend Defense Secretary Gates's speech at a summit on wounded warriors and amputees. The Washington Bureau will also cover the House Budget
Committee's hearing on "Economic Recovery: Options and Challenges," a summit held by U.S. News and World Report on America's high schools, a news conference by the American National Standards Institute and the Internet Security Alliance on "The Financial Impact of Cyber Risk," a discussion on voter fraud by the Heritage Foundation, and a discussion by the Brookings Institution on "U.S. Democracy Promotion after the Bush Years."

Sen. Harkin: Sen. McCain is out of touch with rural communities

Chairman and the Senate Agriculture Committee, Tom Harkin (D-IA), hosted a conference call, highlighting Sen. Barack Obama’s support for development programs that help make sizable investments in infrastructure, rural health, and small business development in small towns. Harkin said that Obama has been the champion for rural development and getting the 2008 farm Bill enacted.

“Unlike Obama, Sen. McCain has opposed every Farm Bill and has stated that he would veto them as well. McCain is out of touch with rural communities, while Obama has fought to save them,” Harkin said during the conference call.

Harkin went on to say that small town jobs are created by their small town businesses, and that without Obama’s economic plan, these businesses will be in jeopardy. “Obama’s plan will take us in a new and better direction that we are desperately seeking,” Harkin said.

Rice discusses the world economy

“Our administration, together with Congress and the private sector, is working very closely with other countries and, indeed, with the international financial institutions and authorities,” said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during a speech to the World Steel Association. that touched upon the global economy.

Rice outlined steps the Bush administration has taken to grant more countries access to world markets, including increasing engagement with developing economies, changing the major financial framework to better address economic growth, and signing free trade agreements with 17 countries. Rice also described the Bush administrations efforts to increase foreign aid.

“This administration, working with Congress, has launched the largest international development agenda since the Marshall Plan. We have doubled foreign assistance in the Americas, we have tripled it worldwide, we have quadrupled it in Africa.”

Rice conceded that globalization has brought some negative aspects, including transnational crime and weapons of mass destruction, but said that these concerns need to be met with responsible action and leadership rather than isolationism.

Rice said that education would be another vital aspect of strengthening both the local and global economy.

“It’s important to talk about education, and training, and retraining...education more than any other factor, is the indispensable requirement for every nation to build a confident, constructive, and sustainable engagement with the international system.”

Rice said that her commitment to education will be a major part of her post-Bush administration plans.

“Come January 20th, 2009, 12:01 to be exact, I will again be a private citizen. I know that I will go back to advocate too for a confident engagement with the international system based on the tremendous potential of each and every human being unleashed by the power of education.”