Drop Opposition to Arms Trade Treaty
- by: Care2
- recipient: President Obama
In October the UN voted overwhelmingly in favor of moving forward on an Arms Trade Treaty with a vote of 147 countries in favor and 2 countries opposed. The only nations to vote against the treaty were Zimbabwe and the U.S.
Irresponsible arms trade has left many developing nations failing to meet UN Millennium Development Goals. Enormous sums of their budgets are dedicated to acquiring arms, sending many into excruciating debt. After arms are bought, the ensuing conflicts cost not only billions of dollars but millions of lives.
Unregulated arms trade pushes up defense spending and diverts resources that could otherwise fund education, health care and developing infrastructure. South Africa will pay approximately of $530 million a year until 2011 under one arms deal. But an estimated $425 million a year could pay for free water services for all of its citizens.
Tell President Obama that a free-for-all policy on arms trading is detrimental to our global wellbeing. Demand that the U.S. drop its opposition to the Arms Trade Treaty.
Dear President Obama,
It is imperative that the U.S. drop its opposition to the Arms Trade Treaty. Many developing nations are falling short of UN Millennium Development Goals due, in part, to irresponsible arms trade. Enormous sums of their budgets are allocated to the acquisition of arms, sending many nations into a downward spiral of debt.
Please also consider that the arms purchased are inevitably used for conflicts that cost billions of dollars annually, and even more valuable millions of lives are lost. The U.S. should support every effort to eliminate these deadly conflicts, and the Arms Trade Treaty can be a beacon for peace.
[your comments here]
Developing nations spend incredible amounts of money on defense including arms which diverts resources that could otherwise be used to fund education, health care and developing infrastructure. For example, South Africa will continue to pay approximately $530 million a year until 2011 on an arms deal. But an estimated $425 million a year could pay for free water services for the entire population of South Africa.
Our world suffers at the hands of irresponsible arms trading. So please, drop the U.S. opposition to the Arms Trade Treaty.
