UN Arms Trade Treaty Resurrected

On Monday, the United Nations General Assembly voted to resurrect a treaty to regulate international arms trade. The treaty is opposed by the NRA.

The Obama adminstration supports the treaty, placing the adminstration at odds with the nations largest gun-rights lobby. The NRA clains the treaty will regulate domestic gun sales while the Obama administration maintains it will simply bring the rest of the world with the US’s strict gun export laws. Initially the treaty stalled in July, most likely to avoid making gun control an issue in the 2012 campaign cycle. At that time, 50 senators (eight Democrats included) signed a letter opposing the treaty.

Now, the Obama administration insists the treaty will have no affect on domestic arms sales. In order to pass, the treaty would need to be ratified by the Senate, with two-thirds voting to support it.  A final vote in the UN is expected to take place in spring of 2013.