In July, 170 world nations held this first United Nations meeting and agreed on a non-binding plan to combat illegal small arms trafficking. But this came only after most of the countries backed down and accepted the United States demands to drop a call for governments to limit weapon sales and restrict civilian gun ownership. Consequently, many African and European delegates as well as human rights groups and anti-gun campaigners angry came away antagonistic towards the United States.

The United States stood alone when its delegation made it clear from the outset that it would oppose any United Nations plan that even hinted at banning small arms’ weapons. The United States also said it would reject any measure that would bar governments from supplying small arms to “non-state actors,” such as rebel groups. The United States prevailed, as African countries dropped their demand and acquiesced. Many African and European delegates who backed them were visibly angry. (Los Angeles Times, July 22, 2001)

The final agreement called on governments to ensure that manufacturers put unique identifying marks on every small arm and light weapon and keep records so illegally trafficked weapons could be traced. It also called for laws to ensure government control over the transfer of small arms, including legislation to regulate small arms brokers. The countries were also urged to make the illegal manufacture, possession, stockpiling, and trade of small arms a criminal offense. It called for surplus stocks to be destroyed, public awareness campaigns on the consequences of the trade, and international support for disarming combatants after conflicts.

According to United Nations estimates, between 40 percent and 60 percent of the more than 500 million small arms and light weapons in the world were illegal. The trade in these illicit pistols, assault rifles, machine-guns, and other light weapons was valued at about $1 billion annually.

South African delegate Jean Du Preez said, “The U.S. should be ashamed of themselves. We are very disappointed.” Mexico’s chief delegate Luis Alfonso de Alba called the United States action “regrettable.” Rebecca Peters of the Open Society Institute voiced her anger: “It’s unbelievably selfish that the most powerful nation in the world that produces more than half of all the small arms in the world is prepared to jeopardize the safety of millions of people in other countries purely for the sake of pandering to its own domestic lobbying interests.” (Los Angeles Times, July 22, 2001)

In 2005, the United States was the world’s leader in selling major weapons to countries around the globe. According to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, the United States took the lead in exporting to 22 countries: 1,724 tanks, armored combat vehicles, heavy artillery, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, missiles, and missile launchers. The United States’ biggest customers in 2005 included Israel (which received 22 F-16D jet fighters), Afghanistan (173 armored combat vehicles), and Egypt (100 M-1A1 tanks) (Time, October 23, 2006)

Russia ran a close second with almost 1,000 major conventional weapons systems exported. Two-thirds of Russia’s arms shipments went to China and India. Among the other busiest arms suppliers: Ukraine (which reported 649 weapons exports inn 2005 -- almost double its 2004 count), Israel, and Turkey. (Time, October 23, 2006

Despite objections from the Bush administration, the United Nations General Assembly in the fall of 2006 voted to create an international treaty to curb the illicit trade in guns and other light weapons. The United States, the world’s largest supplier of small arms, was the only country that opposed the resolution. (Inter Press Service, October 27, 2006)

In the fall of 2006, the United States was the ONLY global power – of 139 nations – to place curbs on the sale of weapons to countries across the globe. In 2005, the United States sold 10 billion rounds of small arms fire to countries around the globe. That meant enough rounds were manufactured to put two bullets into every person on the face of the planet. (Air America, November 13, 2006)