-Caveat Lector- U.S. Delegates May Be Selling Out America at U.N. Anti-gun Conference Lawrence Auster Friday, July 13, 2001 http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/7/13/161033.shtml As NewsMax readers were warned in a previous article, the regular U.S. delegates to the United Nations small arms conference are failing to provide firm support for Undersecretary of State John Bolton's principled position against global gun control. Instead, according to observer sources at the U.N., the U.S. delegation is looking for compromise language with the enemies of freedom. Bolton's powerful speech on Monday is thus turning out to be, not America's bottom line against a U.N. grab for power, but only the opening bid in negotiations that could result in a radical Program of Action directly threatening gun owners' rights in the United States. Behind Closed Doors At issue is a document with the incredible title "Draft Program of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects." Delegates are meeting this week and next - in closed-door sessions - to hammer out a final agreement. Section II, Paragraph 20 of this remarkable document states that the member nations undertake "[t]o seriously consider the prohibition of unrestricted trade and private ownership of small arms and light weapons specifically designed for military purposes." Let us understand first of all that the phrase "designed for military purposes" is a mere fig leaf. According to the definitions provided in the foundational reports for the conference, weapons of military design would cover 90 percent of hunting rifles as well as handguns. We should also take no comfort from the fact that the signatories are agreeing only to "consider" a prohibition on private weapons. As Undersecretary Bolton pointed out to the press on Monday, you start with an agreement to "consider" something, and the next thing you know, you find yourself in a binding treaty. Accordingly, Bolton declared that the United States would not sign any Program of Action containing such language, or any other language that would violate America's own Constitution. In his Monday speech in the General Assembly chamber, Bolton also rejected Section II, Paragraph 13 of the Draft Program of Action, in which the member nations undertake "to supply small arms and light weapons only to governments, either directly or through entities authorized to procure arms on behalf of governments." The undersecretary insisted on America's right to transfer weapons to non-state actors resisting tyrannical governments, such as the Nicaraguan Contras or domestic opponents of Saddam Hussein. Because such freedom fighters by definition are not part of the government, Paragraph 13 would forbid America's giving arms to them, just as it would have prohibited France's support to George Washington's rebel army during the American War of Independence. The Clinton Influence Though Bolton was crystal clear on these fundamental points, one of the problems is that after he gave his speech he went back to Washington, leaving the regular U.S. State Department delegates - who were appointed during the Clinton administration - to act on their own. Another problem is that even Bolton's courageous and articulate stand left a lot to be desired. For example, he did not object to Section II, paragraph 7, which commits the signatory nations "to ensure that comprehensive and accurate records are kept for as long as possible on the manufacture, holding and transfer of small arms and light weapons within their jurisdiction." The language "transfer of small arms" could easily be interpreted to cover the sale of handguns, meaning that the U.S. would be required to keep permanent records on every handgun purchase in the United States. This would go directly against Attorney General John Ashcroft's assurance that information resulting from background checks on gun purchasers would not be kept on file. While Bolton's position is less than perfect, the line he has drawn against an international regime of gun control is the only thing the lovers of freedom have going for them at the moment. The White House needs to be warned against a possible sellout by the U.S. delegation. Lawrence Auster can be reached at [EMAIL PROTECTED] [Forwarded For Information Purposes Only - Not Necessarily Endorsed By The Sender - A.K. Pritchard] ------------------------------ A.K. Pritchard http://members.ll.net/chiliast/ http://rosie.acmecity.com/songfest/189/ To subscribe to "The Republican" email list - just ask! 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