Saturday September 25 12:09 AM ET

U.N. Discusses Gun Control Measure

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/19990925/us/un_gun_control_5.html

By PETER JAMES SPIELMANN Associated Press Writer

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - In a bid to curb civil wars, ethnic massacres and terrorism, the U.N. Security Council on Friday discussed an initiative by the U.N. chief to implement greater gun-control measures around the world.

At the end of the first ministerial debate on small arms, council members called for new measures to discourage arms from reaching conflict zones and also called for effective implementation of arms embargoes.

``Small arms and light weapons are primary tools of violence in many conflicts taking place in the world,'' Annan told the council.

``The proliferation of small arms, ammunition and explosives has also aggravated the violence associated with terrorism and organized crime.

``Even in societies not beset by civil war, the easy availability of small arms has in many cases contributed to violence and political instability,'' he said.

With at least 200 million firearms are owned by American citizens, U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright announced the United States would refrain from sellings arms to war zones not already covered by arms embargoes.

``We encourage other nations to establish and observe such moratoria,'' she said. ``We have passed laws making it illegal for traffickers subject to American law to broker illicit deals anywhere. We ask others to crack down on brokering as well.''

British Foreign Minister Robin Cook told the Council: ``It is a tribute ... that nuclear weapons have never been used for half a century, and that chemical weapons have rarely been used.

``However, over the same period the assault rifle has become the weapon of mass killing. ... Over the last decade alone, conflicts fought with only small arms have killed over 3 million people, mostly civilians,'' Cook said.

``Five million dollars will buy approximately 20,000 assault rifles - enough to equip the army of a medium-sized state,'' he noted.

The ministers met to discuss a report by Annan which recommended among other things:

-Better enforcement of U.N. arms embargoes on nations and regions in conflict.

-Nations should require arms manufacturers to put serial numbers and identification marks on weapons so the diversion of legitimate sales into the black market can be monitored.

-Nations should share information on the registration of guns and on legal transactions, in order to trace black market deals

-- I usually don't buy the NWO stuff (stuff like this m@kes me.wonder), September 25, 1999

Answers

I once read a terrific anecdote by the Chicago newspaper columnist Bill Maudlin concerning the Italian partisans in N. Italy during the days after WWII. The local allied commander felt it would be a good idea to disarm the guerrilas now that there was "peace in our time". So they organized a big celebration with marching bands and assorted pomp and ceremony. The partisans dutifully marched in the parade and made a big show of surrendering their weapons. The pile grew and grew; a truly magnificent display of cooperation!

Then, after everyone received a medal and a hug, the partisans left and went to concealed locations where they unwrapped their Mauser sniper rifles and Schmeisser machine pistols and put a fresh coat of oil on them. The allied troops discovered upon closer examination that the vast majority of the turned in weapons were, in fact, unusable. They were rusted and unsafe and the pile even included several museum pieces-including a flared muzzle blunderbuss from the 1800's.

Got your turn-in piece(s)? Practiced your crocodile tears?

-- chairborne commando (what-me-worry@armageddon.com), September 25, 1999.

annon also stated that national-soveriegnty is no longer important.

-- may i? (dogs@zianet.com), September 25, 1999.

The U.N. making rules on gun ownership that affect the U.S citizens right to gun ownership?

Does this sound crazy to everyone else, or am I alone in this regard? The whole concept of the U.N. has gone from what was supposed to be a good idea, and is now a NWO political circus. The U.S. should have dismembered itself from this self serving organization years ago, and completely removed its operations from U.S. soil.

History has proven that gun control = masses control. Other than getting people to stockpile out of fear, what does this issue have to do with Y2K?

-- Smith (Smith@smith.smith), September 25, 1999.

read "Atlas Shrugged" AGAIN!

and the Federalist Papers - again...

then look at the calendar

check 6

Perry

-- Perry Arnett (pjarnett@pdqnet.net), September 25, 1999.

Surprise, surprise! (or, why am I NOT surprised?)
Couple that with the latest UN pronouncements that national sovereignty has got to go (and will go) doesn't give me a warm, fuzzy feeling.

As far as UN policies superseding the U.S. Constitution, theoretically treaties are "law" but cannot abrogate Constitutional provisions. In practice, "fuggedaboudit". Of course, even our local and national politicians regard the U.S. Constitution as asswipe, so why should the UN hold it in any higher regard.

Unless we have a Y2K 9 or 10, you will realize in less than a few years that you are niggers (regardless of race) on a government plantation (U.S. or U.N.).

-- A (A@AisA.com), September 25, 1999.

Constitutional Convention.

-- about time (now@now.now), September 25, 1999.

The UN is a hoax. It does not really exist.

I like donuts.

-- homer (homer@simpsons.xxx), September 25, 1999.

Was talking with my customer out in the boonies, building a deck, and he said, "The only politician I wouldn't put in jail is the one who has just been elected, the rest are criminals. And no lawyer should be allowed in politics, they are part of the judiciary and therefore inelligible for either the Legislatve or the executive branch of US Government.

Point being made is that politicos are corrupt, UN, US or whatever.

-- Mark Hillyard (foster@inreach.com), September 25, 1999.

Let me recommend a film that I was shown in a Spanish class in college. It was titled, El Politico Honesto.

Some things truly transcend language and culture.

-- Hardliner (searcher@internet.com), September 25, 1999.

Hardliner -- was that film a comedy or a fantasy?
Joke re term limits: Every politician should serve two terms -- one in office and one in jail.

-- A (A@AisA.com), September 25, 1999.

A,

The film itself was neither. It was an extremely accurate depiction of a particular Latino politician's words and behavior, and the disconnect between them, during a political campaign.

The title however, was extreme sarcasm.

-- Hardliner (searcher@internet.com), September 25, 1999.