In October the UN voted overwhelmingly in favor of moving forward on an Arms Trade Treaty with a vote of 147 countries in favor and 2 countries opposed. The only nations to vote against the treaty were Zimbabwe and the U.S.
Irresponsible arms trade has left many developing nations failing to meet UN Millennium Development Goals. Enormous sums of their budgets are dedicated to acquiring arms, sending many into excruciating debt. After arms are bought, the ensuing conflicts cost not only billions of dollars but millions of lives.
Unregulated arms trade pushes up defense spending and diverts resources that could otherwise fund education, health care and developing infrastructure. South Africa will pay approximately of $530 million a year until 2011 under one arms deal. But an estimated $425 million a year could pay for free water services for all of its citizens.
Tell President Obama that a free-for-all policy on arms trading is detrimental to our global wellbeing. Demand that the U.S. drop its opposition to the Arms Trade Treaty.
