Why Consensus Won't Help the Arms Trade Treaty

The Obama Administration Makes the Wrong Call on the U.N.'s Arms Trade Treaty, Heritage Foundation WebMemo #2653, October 15, 2009. "On October 14, 2009, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced that the United States would seek a “strong international standard” in the control of the conventional arms trade by “seizing the opportunity presented by the Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty at the United Nations.” Her announcement contained an important caveat: The U.S. will only actively support negotiations if the conference “operates under the rule of consensus decision-making needed to ensure that all countries can be held to standards that will actually improve the global situation.” This caveat has been attacked by NGOs supporting the treaty process. The Administration’s decision to participate on the basis of consensus is wrong."