Book Reports of Peers and Ratings-International Arms Trade

STUDENT#1

The International Arms Trade This book describes the unconventional subject of international arms trade from the conventional and legal standpoint to the illegal black-market trade that pollutes the world. “The International Arms Trade” by Rachel Stohl and Suzette Grillot broke down the various factors that are associated with global arms supply and transfer as well as the social and economic effects of arms trade. The first topic discussed was the legal supply and transfer of arms, this is usually conducted by five major countries, United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia and China. These countries are all members of the United Nation Security Council and responsible for roughly 80% of international arms trade. To understand this topic the desire for weapons must be addressed. Countries mainly desire weapons to supply military forces with the proper equipment to defend themselves as well as fight in times of war. It is prevalent that in modern society weapons are necessity for countries of all sizes because without them there will be a severe disadvantage. The size of the international arms market is massive, “nearly $60 billion a year in new arms sale agreements and $31 billion in arms delivery in 2007 alone” (Stohl and Grillot,41). The ever-changing global environment keeps international arms trade consistently evolving to adjust to the global situation. The horrific event of 9/11 caused a major change in international weapons trade market. It stressed the importance of supplying countries in war with terror arms Izzo 2 during critical situations but the negative effects of black-market weapons trade emerged as the United States was fighting terrorist groups supplied by illegal arms trade. The second topic discussed was illegal international arms trade and its negative effects on the global environment. The book outlines four major factors of illegal international arms trade. First, most illegal arms trade is usually conducted by unscrupulous individuals. Second, weapons trafficking is usually correlated with some other form of illegal substance trafficking such as humans or drugs. Third, the illicit arms market usually contributes to the supplying of dangerous terrorist groups. Finally, holding individuals accountable for illegal weapon trafficking requires international collaboration and cooperation. In 2003, the United States arrested Victor Infante otherwise known as “The Devil”. Victor was responsible for trafficking illegal guns and drugs from the United States to the Philippines. The guns provided were given to Philippine terrorist groups who used the weapon to wreak havoc amongst Philippine citizens. The third topic discussed was how regulations and treaties are created in attempts to control the international arms trade. The UN Group of Governmental Experts is a collective of twenty-eight states that were tasked with creating an Arms Trade Treaty. The treaty was to create a scope and parameters of legally binding international agreement that establishes standards for legal international arms trade. Even with treaties like this being created over the years, the regulation of international arms trade is extremely difficult to control. A past treaty that had failed was The Treaty on Conventional Forces, this was the most significant conventional arms treaty that emerged towards the end of the Cold War. The agreement has the intention to increase transparency and increase stability amongst the nations. The CTE outlined limits for five major categories, combat aircraft, battle tanks, attack helicopters, armored combat vehicles and large artillery. “Limits were set for each individual country within the Treaty area, and no one state Izzo 3 could possess more than one-third of the total limit in each category. All weaponry in excess of these limits was to be destroyed in forty months of the Treaty entering into force, and rigorous verification and inspection regime was established to oversee the process” (Stohl and Grillot,143). The main cause of this treaty failing was tension between the United States and Russia. Russia had concerns about the deployment of United States missile defense systems and the placement of United State bases in Central and Eastern Europe. This ultimately caused Russian officials to unanimously reject the implementation of The Treaty on Conventional Forces. This book draws five main conclusions from the subject of international arms trade. First, the supply and demand for weapons has increased immensely over history. The book argues the events such as World War I and World War II sparked the global change in demand for weapons. The ever-expending black market also contributes to the rise in the supply and demand for weapons because modern means of communication make transactions effortless. Second, conventional arms are a much more difficult class of weapons to control, given their legitimate uses. This is because conventional weapons are used by national militaries, police forces and civilian’s as a mean of protection. This makes regulation extremely difficult because of the necessary purpose for conventional arms. Third, the international trade in conventional arms generate a significant amount of revenue, and arms sales have proven to be profitable. Revenue for international arms trade have been in excess of $60 billion in the legal market and a few billion in the market. The transfer of arms on the international scale can pose to be extremely. lucrative from an economic viewpoint. Fourth, the lack of restraints on the international conventional arms trade has significant consequences from human security. Though guns can pose as a mean of protection in the right hands and they can also cause mass destruction when in Izzo 4 the wrong hands. Finally, national, regional and global controls on the conventional arms trade are underdeveloped and face tremendous challenges. It is prevalent that controlling the transfer of arms in international hands is no easy task and takes unanimous support from all nations. Laws and regulations are needed to ensure that deadly fire arms do not end up in the hands of terrorist organizations and other individuals who will use the weapons to cause harm. To conclude, I believe this book exposed me to information about international arms trade that I was previously not aware too. I found the topic enticing and layered with historical content and scenarios where international arms trade took place. The book did raise my concern on black-market arms trade, mainly because the mass destruction that can be caused from these weapons when put in the wrong hands. This is why I believe it is a necessity for all nations to unite in combating illegal arms by setting clear international arms laws and prosecute all who participate in illicit arms trade.

STUDENT#2

The international arms trade is a multi-billion-dollar industry that has existed for hundreds of years, whose drastic size and influence has, much of the time, operated under the radar of a majority of the world’s population. Along with its influence and operations being unknown to most, the international arms trade affects various aspects of human life. From the bloody deserts of third world countries, to the black market, to upper east side Manhattan, the reaches of the international arms trade have had both positive and negative effects on the lives of millions. After reading the book The International Arms Trade by Rachel Stohl and Suzzette Grillot, my understandings of the history, development, and social effects of the international arms trade have been exponentially amplified.

Due to the technological advances our world has seen in the last 100 years, it is logical to conclude that this development of advanced arms has created this international arms trade market. However, the international arms trade has existed for thousands of years, hurdling language, culture, and religious barriers whilst significantly contributing to individual economies wealth and security in both upper and lower classes. Depending on the country being evaluated, the social structure can be driven by violence or arms trade transactions that are a main factor in the separation of classes; such as some countries in the middle east. In nations such as the United States, whom are driven by innovation and equality, experience more balanced social classes and therefore have the ability to be a manufacturer and distributer of arms to countries in the market to buy this respective technology.

From a historical standpoint, the evolution of the international arms trade is an outline that can tell a story of some of the most important periods in history; from the dawn of western civilization to the 21st century. The procurement and trade of illicit arms can be linked to diplomatic efforts, domestic politics, foreign politics, and private business. Although the history of the international arms trade is important to consider when analyzing its reach, it is essential to pay attention to the crucial turning point of the arms trade that is known as the Cold War. However, before this turning point, the international arms trade existed primarily in the dominating nations or western Europe such as Spain, France and England. As the industrial revolution came about and steam power improved technology, the government as well as private sectors invested in sophisticated weaponry production.

Following the industrial revolution, WWI was a time in which arms transfers were believed to have played a role in the development of the war. This is because the countries involved had participated in private arms accumulation prior to the beginning of the war. To combat this issue, governments began to regulate the manufacturing of arms in the private sector in efforts to control the distribution of arms. At this point in the history of the international arms trade, the government begins to participate in the manufacturing and distribution of weaponry through financially supporting domestic arms manufacturing firms, entering into bilateral and multilateral treaties, and imposing trade agreements for the importing and exporting of various types of arms. Publicly, during the time of the two world wars, the arms trade was viewed as antagonistic profit and received public disapproval due to the desire to maintain the peace and recover from the wars.

Leading up to the Cold War, the arms trade experienced tremendous growth; expanding from $7 billion in 1950 to $45 billion in 1982. The industry became so profitable for three distinct reasons; possible domestic economic profitability, threat perception, and military ambition. Governments came to realize the power and influence they could exert upon their arms buyers. This ambition, particularly in the case of the United States, was illustrated through this show of military dominance. Along with developed nations using the arms trade as a show of power and influence, they also saw an opportunity to capitalize on this emerging market by investing in domestic manufacturing and being a sole supplier to many nations looking to acquire arms for their own domestic purposes. Concerning the possible threats faced by underdeveloped nations, nations whom are developed created trade agreements of arms trade that excluded the trade of top tier arms such as nuclear weapons. Those remain a part of the private sector of arms manufacturing and are limited to the domestic nation in which they are being developed. This effort to keep weapons of mass destruction from flowing freely across varying levels of developed nations is crucial to the security of everyone.

Culturally, the international arms trade has been an influencing factor on actions, norms, and social interactions within each nation that are in the reach of the arms trade markets. As we have become more technologically advanced, the arms trade has created a market with great violent potential. This market is hard to to control and global organizations put in in pace enforcement protocols that help to regulate this trade, however due to the violent nature of the products being sold and bought, it is impossible to eliminate black market arms transactions. Regardless of laws and procedures in place, nations in need or want of weapons will find a way to obtain them, whether it be legally or not. After reading this book, I was enlightened about the extent to which the illicit arms trade exists and the issues that arise with it. It affects hundreds of thousands of innocent people because these weapons are often used for nonofficial business and it is difficult for governments to understand the extent to which the illicit trading of arms exists across borders.

The international arms trade is a highly profitable and developed market that will continue to grow as nations become more advanced in their technologies. The trade will never cease to exist because it is driven my human security and ambition. States will constantly beat war and there will always be nations who are prosperous and those who are struggling and turn to violence. However, by enhancing out knowledge and understanding of all the various aspects of the trade, we are able to adapt to its constant development and intelligently make decisions at federal, domestic, and personal levels.

STUDENT#3

The International Arms Trade (War and Conflict in the Modern World) was written by Rachel Stohl and Suzette Grillot and it was first published in 2009 by Polity Press. The purpose of this book is mainly to discuss the major factors that come into play when discussing the international arms trade. These different factors range from the difference between legal and illicit arms trade and how this impacts countries and their economies differently, consequences that occur worldwide due to international arms trade, all the way to controlling international arms trade. The authors wrote the book in a more detail-oriented way meaning their opinions on the matter are not heavily present and do not affect the book in any major ways. The book being published in 2009 leads to some factors being slightly different as ten years has obviously passed, but the main topics discussed in the book are not affected and therefore still relevant today.

In order to fully understand the concepts of the book and how it can be related to international business law and different topics discussed in class, it is important to have a general understand of the book and what is mentioned from cover to cover. The book begins with a very rapid and general history of international arms trade and how it developed through the years. The book begins with the ‘Nixon Doctrine’ and the impacts that a few simple remarks made by the President of the United States of America had on the entire arms industry, and how it would develop from 1969 and on. The book does acknowledge the international arms trade all the way back to the 15th and 16th century. Chapter two gives the reader a brief rundown on different countries that were originally considered as the “big players” in international arms trade and how these shifted all the way through the 20th century. The book then goes on to describing the process of legal arms trade throughout different countries including the production, import, export, and who supports this industry. This is later compared to the illicit arms trade and how this has different factors, different players, and subsequently different results and consequences than legal arms trade. As would be expected, there is an entire section of this book dedicated to the consequences that have occurred worldwide due to the international arms trade as this is a very touchy industry as the line between right and wrong is very vague. Arms manufactures were described to be “merchants of deaths” in a “bloody business” (Pg. 14) The book then goes on to discussing ways in which to control the international arms trade and then finally ends with an overall conclusion of the topic, wrapping up all points previously discussed in the book.

Although there are many different factors brought up within the international arms trade that are important, there are certain factors that are much more important to discuss as they are more relevant to international business law. First, I will look at certain historical aspects and how this has developed a major industry and how it has impacted nations around the world in many ways. This will be followed with a brief comparison to the difference between the legal aspect and the illicit aspect of international arms trade, and how this impacts laws and regulations and how governments are responsible or how they can manage this. I will finish by connecting these points to topics discussed in class and assessing the quality of the book.

Historical Background

The book goes as far back as the Peloponnesian War which occurred during 431 BC until 404 BC. The authors don’t focus heavily on this but included this to give the readers an understanding of how far back arms trade goes. The more important historical aspect begins in 15th and 16th century weapons production spread through Europe and eventually Russia as well. It is important to understand what the general trend is when looking at the flow of weapons in order to make sense of the exports and imports that follow. Overall, “The spread of arms production tended to follow the spread of capitalism, generally from Italy and north European states to countries such as France, Russia and Spain, and then to states like Portugal, the Ottoman Empire, Scotland, Hungary, India, Japan, Poland and the Balkans, where manufacturers replicated foreign weapons.” (Pg. 11) Being able to see this helps create a basic level of understanding how international arms trade originated and developed into the booming industry it is today. As the book mentioned, certain states eventually would replicate foreign weapons. This shows that countries that were not capitalistic still felt the need to develop these weapons to keep up with foreign states, leading to a surge in the creation of these weapons. Throughout the 16th and 17th century, the world saw different states step into more prominent roles in the arms trade with France, Russia, the Ottoman Empire, as well as Spain and Britain evolving with the production of arms, and how they distributed them.

A big addition to the international arms trade was the industrial revolution as this increased the ability to create more sophisticated weaponry. The countries that had access to building these weapons also tended to be in capitalist countries where they “took advantage of laissez-faire economics and sold weapons to interested customers, no matter who or where they might have been.” Being in the relatively early stages of the international arms trade, there were very few, if any governmental regulations and restrictions to limit or monitor where or how these weapons were delivered, and how they would impact different nations. I believe that this is the aspect that has changed most significantly from the past to how international arms trade works today. Because of this, I believe that it is very important to understand the background of this industry in order to fully understand the legal ramifications that occur.

Legal vs. Illicit Arms Trade

There are many different industries that have legal and illegal categories within it, but arms trade, especially internationally, may have the largest and most important difference. When looking at the legal side of international arms trade, I believe the main reasons behind it is political. Although the book does make several arguments backing up the economic standpoint, I focused more on the political aspects while reading through the book. The best point that the book made was that of interoperability. The book states “The US Department of Defense (DOD) defines interoperability as: ‘the ability to operate in synergy in the execution of assigned tasks.’” (Pg. 49) This follows the concept that countries are willing to export weapons or weapon software to allied countries, those they fight alongside with, in order to help strengthen their cause and increase their chances to succeed at war. This seems very practical in theory, but I believe this is where the system reaches a downfall. The book uses a perfect example illustrating how the US provides Israel with a ton of military aid by providing weapons and new technologies. However, it is still very difficult for the US to dictate how Israel, or even where, they use this military assistance, making even legal international arms trade very dangerous and unpredictable.

When looking at the illicit side of the international arms trade, it shows how chaotic international arms trade can be. The book defines illicit grey market transfers as “typically involve ‘governments, their agents, or individuals exploiting loopholes or intentionally circumventing national and/or international laws or policies.’” (Pg. 94) This shows how little structure is in place during these types of arms trade, which essentially goes against everything we have learned thus far in International Business Law. Going against treaties, international law, and many different policies makes it very difficult to monitor how many weapons there are, as well as making it nearly impossible to monitor where they are located, or who is responsible for them.

Class Relation

Firstly, I believe that the overall structure of the class and the multitude of topics that have been covered make reading and understanding this book possible. Without any previous knowledge on International Business Law a lot of the points made in the book would be very complicated and connecting certain dots would be impossible. The biggest connection I made to the book was in the illicit arms trade chapter. I was previously aware of a black market for weapons, however I did not know that governments were also present in this market. In class we learned about many different treaties, or even less formal but highly respected international custom. Learning about how these factors are circumvented or avoided was very eye opening as in class we discussed about how crucial these are to regulating international law.

Another link I made from this book to class was towards the end of the book when the CCW was mentioned. The CCW is “The UN Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which may be Deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects (also known as the Inhumane Weapons Convention or CCW) was originally adopted on 10 October 1980 with three annexed Protocols. Fifty states signed the Convention and it entered into force on 2 December 1983.” (Pg. 141) I connected this to class as we had several discussions about the United Nations and how it attempts to control and legislate international law. Implementing the CCW was a way for the UN to try and prevent major issues that could be created internationally through the trade of certain arms.

Personal Opinion

I believe that this book was very well written in a way that is not overly scholarly yet is able to get serious topics across to the readers. I felt that this book applied well to class topics that we have covered as I was able to make several connections while reading the book, helping my understanding of international arms trade develop. I liked how the authors split up the topics in the five main chapters they selected as these are the main points when looking at international arms trade. This book did cover a lot of material, but it was split up well enough to not overload the reader with too much information at once. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I do feel as though it gave me a real life understanding of many of the different concepts we have learned through the course of the semester.

STUDENT#4

For my book report, I read The International Arms Trade by Rachael Stohl and Suzette Grillot. This covers the intense and controversial subject of international arms trade between individuals, companies, and countries. Included, is an analysis the recent history of international arms trade as well as the beginnings of gun powered weapon exchanges in the 14th and 15th centuries. From “the early to mid-fifteenth century Italy was the most notable center or arms production and transfers in the world” (pg. 11) to modern times where Russia and the United States spend billions annually, the transfer and sale of firearms has been one of the most profitable industries in the commodity sector. Unlike public misconception, arms trade isn’t as large of an industry, and only “makes up .4% of total world trade.” (pg. 39) This book shines a light into the complexities of this commodity, featuring a vibrant legal and illegal market. Lastly, this book offers insight comparable to our international business law class and provides us a few conclusions about international arms trade that are in accordance with my viewpoints on the subject.

When discussing and attempting to understand arms trade, one must first comprehend the complexity of the issue. Weapons transferred internationally have different classification types and these classifications will determine the laws set forth by governments. Not all weapons are weapons of mass destruction such as nuclear arms. Many conventional weapons are tools, such as hunting rifles, shotguns, and pistols. These conventional weapons can be used to hunt for food, for self-protection, and to improve at being skilled in shooting. To improve accuracy, many people practice shooting at targets, often ‘for fun.’ This aligns with the second conclusion from our book which states that

“The control of, and trade in, conventional weapons are more complicated than those of other weapon systems. Conventional arms, unlike weapons of mass destruction, are legitimate tools of government, militaries, police forces, and civilians. Under Article 51 of the UN, all states have the right to self-defense and the right to manufacture, import, export, transfer, and retain conventional arms toward that end. This makes controlling the trade additionally challenging” (pg. 4 and 168)

This statement further amplifies the legitimate uses for conventional weapons with the needs of government, military, civilian, and police forces to protect their populations. This basis should be followed when discussing issues arising from conventional arms as it offers a realistic viewpoint that fits in line with the realities many individuals face around the globe.

Within the United States, the right of the people and militia to keep and bear arms is a crucial right to our freedom. Listed as the Second Amendment to our Constitution, it’s stated that “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed” (Cornell 1) This amendment, created long before the United Nations, resides inside of the Constitution and enforces the idea that some conventional arms are legitimate tools. While this has been set forth in law, many would like to change this policy, showing the complexity of making law around conventional weapons.

The issues associated with international arms trade are made more complex by the lack of cohesion across governments to act. This idea is supported by fifth conclusion presented forth by our authors. In directing how to tackle the issue of international arms trade, a holistic perspective must be used. To do this, all actors or parties should implement legislation and multiple scenarios should be addressed. Meaning, governments should take a unified stance to prevent arms from getting into the wrong hands and should follow the supply chains of arms more carefully. This idea is further explained and supported on page 188,

“The national, regional, and global controls on the conventional arms trade are underdeveloped and face tremendous challenges. A primary challenge is the lack of support from the major weapons producers, suppliers, and exporters for existing and proposed controls on the international trade in arms. Major weapon exports such as the United States, Russia, and China often fail to make changes in their own domestic laws and policies to ensure that weapons do not end up in the hands of undesirable actors. We need simultaneous response at all levels to compete.” (pg. 188)

When tackling the issue, countries need to be unified, and one treaty they could utilize as the basis is the CFE treaty. The Treaty on Conventional Forces (CFE) in Europe was meant to “increase transparency and increase stability regarding conventional forces in Europe.” (pg. 143) To do this, they set a limit to how many tanks, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, and combat artillery a country could have. In 2007, this treaty was suspended in Russia by their Duma over US military bases and missile defense systems in Central and Eastern Europe. While this treaty had flaws, this could a solid base for what a modern conventional weapons and disarmament treaty may look like.

Many of the issues presented in the novel create questions pointed at the way issues of international arms trade and the handling of conventional weapons by the United States government are dealt with. Conventional weapons are an imperative part of our society as they are necessary tools, and simultaneously, one of the main concerns of a government is the safety of its constituents. The negative impact of arms trade and conventional weapons “includes death, injuries, and psycho-social trauma” (pg. 120) In looking at data, “Hundreds of thousands of individuals die each year in conflict zones and at least 200,000 more people die as a result of small arms-inflicted suicides and homicides in countries at peace.” (Pg. 120) This is awful, suicide is never the answer, and countless individuals don’t deserve the hardships they face as a result of the trade. This has led to the belief that tighter controls should be had on conventional arms to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. To do this, governments and regulatory agencies should focus on increasing transparency and oversight on international arms trade. A great way to provide more oversight on the trade is with the implementation of licensing procedures. This would require “licensing weapons imports, exports, re-exports, transits, and transshipments so that weapons flowing into, out of, or through national territory can be authorized.” (pg. 168) To follow up on this, “weapons producers, exporters, importers, shippers, and brokers need to be registered so that they are held accountable to the law for their activities.” (pg.168) This, if implemented in a more unified manner across governments, would prevent many weapons from falling into the wrong hands through illicit trade and could reduce the number of individual deaths related to conventional weapons globally.

Through our lectures and readings, we learned the basics of how international law effects global societies and individuals. Many of the terms we have learned in class have re-appeared in my book, such as signing versus ratification of treaties. We also have covered who creates international law, how international law is created, and that there are two distinct types of international law. First, customary international law is a body of commonly accepted rules of conduct or international norms. Secondly, international business law is derived from national or international sources that govern cross-boarder business transactions. An example of an international business law on arms trade is the “UN Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the use of Certain Conventional Weapons which may be deemed to be excessively injurious or to have some indiscriminate effects” (pg. 141) This Convention, with three main protocols, was ratified by over 75 state parties and shows that legislation can be an effective way to curtail international arms trade. By and large, this book has demonstrated the importance of taking an international law class as it greatly assists in navigating the complexities of international arms trade within the scope of my paper and as an active citizen of the United States.

STUDENT#5

Among the various items that America is known to export, it is found that America is the world’s largest exporter for arms. Although the arms trade only accounts for a very small percentage of international transactions, it is one of crucial importance and affects the global community many ways. After reading “The International Arms Trade” by Rachel Stohl and Suzette Grillot, a greater understanding of the industry opened many areas for discussion. The text highlights many important factors including importance of arms trade, the illicit arms trade, as well as how governments can combat the illegal transfer of arms into hands of people who can cause a threat to the global community. The global arms trade is very complex, involves many state and non-state actors, as well as having a large effect on humanity. In order to maintain a healthy environment for trading of arms, it will require the understanding of general knowledge and factors affecting the industry.

The first area of discussion involves the importance of arms trade. The international arms trade is crucial and has a wide reaching effect on people in every corner of the world. The arms trade is powered by the need for national security and resolving conflicts. During the WWI and WWII period, much of the arms trade was focused on weapons of destruction. However, in the post WWII period, instead having large interstate conflicts, many are regional or intrastate conflicts. This shifted the dynamics of the arms trade industry from a foreign policy perspective to a more domestic consumption perspective. It also opened many markets that demanded these arms. Especially with the regional conflicts in the Middle East, it provides for a mass market in great demand of arms. The arms trade is also powered by economic decisions. The largest producers of arms which include the United States, Russia, China have made huge amount of profits from the global arms trade. In 2006, sales of US arms to countries of Chile, Canada, Columbia, Brazil, and Venezuela accounted to $606 million(The International Arms Trade,2013). This proves that the international arms trade is a booming industry that attracts the interest of many parties worldwide. There is a constant demand for these products, which will keep the industry alive.

The second area of discussion involves the challenges within the international arms trade. The book discussed many areas of concern such as the black market, misuse of arms, promotion of terrorist activities, and fueling global social issues. One main area of concern for arms trade is that the weapons will fall into hands of people who will misuse them. The goal of arms trade is to share weapons that will keep the state and its civilians safe from harm. However, in cases where people illegally obtain the arms, it could actually cause a threat to the civilians of a country. For example, human rights abusers use weapons to carry out acts of terror on the local civilians. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, there were reports of at least 12,000 cases in which women and girls were raped and tortured at gunpoint. There are also many social consequences to the illicit trade of arms. These include increased number of refugees and internally displaced people, weakened social structure, development of cultures of violence and use of child soldiers. It is estimated that at least twenty current conflicts utilize child soldiers. This is due to the decreased number of adult males from prolonged involvement in combat. The children are forced into direct combat or used as support roles ranging from cooks, porters, to sex slaves. Another area of concern is the black market operation for arms trade. It is hard to put a number on black market activity, but experts project that illicit trade of small arms accounts for more than $1 Billion every year (The International Arms Trade, 2009). These underground networks for transportation of arms also share the same routes as for drug and human trafficking. This has a global effect since many of these transports are crossing borders and effecting lives of civilians in many states. This illicit trade of arms aims to disrupt the peacekeeping efforts of states and take advantage of regional demand in order to make a profit. In effect, the illegal trading of arms fuels the regional conflict, which threatens the safety of civilians and causes a disruption to environment.

The last area of discussion involves how governments can enforce control over the global arms trade. Since the trade of arms is not region specific, it would involve many actors. Previous efforts in controlling the international arms trade have failed. One such example is The Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE Treaty), which was signed by twenty-two NATO and Warsaw Pact countries. The treaty aimed to “bring parity, enhance transparency, and increase stability regarding conventional forces in Europe.”(The International Arms Trade, 2013). All weapons in excess would have to be destroyed and a rigorous verification and inspection process would follow. The treaty failed due to disagreements and lack of trust between state parties. Concerns for deployment of a US defense system and the placement of US military based in Europe caused the Russians to suspend country’s involvement in the CFE treaty. As seen from this example, in order to maintain a safe environment, states need to develop trust and cooperation.

A successful control and monitoring of the industry would require the cooperation efforts of many states. Increased cooperation would also lend for increased trust and communication of vital information. The illicit arms trade is not an issue that a single state can combat alone. The text cites many examples of international efforts to control the arms trade and many of them have a reiterating theme of communication and cooperation. For example, the Programme of Action, which was founded through the UN Conference on Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons. The PoA established a process in which voluntary states abide by on national, regional, and global levels. One of the requirements is to create a regional network to share information and to promote arms trafficking control. This network would allow states to look out for each other through sharing of information about illegal arms trade. To take the network one-step further, it would also benefit from the agreement to one standard process of distribution, control, and punishment for illegal arms trade. Much of the illegal trade of arms is completed by exploiting the loopholes in law. By setting in place a standard process, it will eliminate any loophole that individuals can utilize for illegal trading. The United Nations has been taking the lead on the globally issue and over the years has attempted through various treaties to create guideline for control. One such example is the Firearms Protocol, which is the first internationally legally binding small arms agreement. Some of the measures outline in the protocol include making the illegal manufacturing and distribution of firearms a crime, establish governmental arms licensing agreement, and create a system of tracing firearms (The International Arms Trade, 2013).It was the first attempt at giving responsibilities to states and holding individuals accountable for actions. Thus, the main theme regarding the control of arms sale is that it is a cooperative effort. All related parties have to be committed to put in effort to communicate and abide by the set standards for controls.

After reading this book, it really opened my perspective on the global arms trade. I have always been interested in global conflicts, but have never realized how important weapons play in the situations. For example, it was unknown to me that arms could also be used as currency. In the illicit market, arms double serve as goods for transfer and as currency in exchange for diamonds, gems, and even agricultural goods such as cotton. It was also interesting to see how these weapons could have such as huge impact on society. It was mentioned how illegal arms trade fuels terrorism, causes physical and psychological harm, and can affect the normal operations of a society. For example, each year, more than 200,000 people die from small arms inflicted suicides and homicides in countries of peace. The illegal trade of arms also put a huge pressure on a countries healthcare system by overwhelming hospitals with patients. The arms trade industry is one of critical importance to our society. However, the control and laws regarding the trade will help prevent arms from getting into the wrong hands. Controlling and overlooking the trade will require the cooperation efforts of many states and non-state actors.