With Election Over, Obama Reopens Talks on U.N. Firearms Treaty

With the presidential election behind him, President Obama has signaled he is ready to restart U.N. talks on the Arms Trade Treaty.

These negotiations carried on through the summer, until they abruptly ended July 28 with a U.S. pullout. 

I wrote then that although the treaty was dead for a time, it could come back up if Obama were to be re-elected. And now, just two days after winning the election, he’s back at it. 

The U.N. Arms Trade Treaty is largely based on concerns over guns illegally crossing borders around the world, in much the same way they crossed the U.S./Mexico border during operation Fast and Furious. In order for proper enforcement, the treaty would eventually require registration of all firearms — not only throughout the rest of the world but within the U.S.

The U.N. General Assembly’s disarmament committee has already voted and set dates for treaty discussions on March 17-18, 2013. 

Even if the President supports the measure wholeheartedly, the treaty cannot be enforced in the U.S. without Senate ratification.