There have been copies of a draft treaty floating around out there on the Internet. If you’ve read them, they say essentially nothing. It is a document of sheer meaninglessness, describing neither what is required of signatory nation or what must be undergone to be in compliance. It is the kind of pablum only unelected bureaucrats at the United Nations could come up with.
That’s why I share Dave Kopel’s joy this session ended without agreement. This puts off any further action until closer to the election, in October, meaning if we change the occupant of the White House, we may be able to avoid an Arms Trade Treaty entirely.
I expected that this effort would fail. This is an election year and I heard that the senate sent a letter with majority stating that they would not ratify if this treaty was signed.