Small arms and light weapons are the primary tools in most of today’s wars, producing a devastating impact when used by abusive forces in Afghanistan, Angola, Burundi, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and elsewhere. The attention the international community is focusing on this issue in anticipation of this month’s conference is desperately needed and long overdue.
But key governments are treating it as an opportunity to avoid embarrassment at the hands of a landmines-style international negotiating process, by appearing to do something while in fact hoping for a toothless document based on the lowest common denominator.
