Welcome

Welcome to our blog. We are a group of Normandale Community College students. We chose to make a blog covering the global issue of Small Arms Trade. Our emphasis is on the Horn of Africa. For some time it has been a hot bed for small arms violence and militia clashes. On the right you can find some helpful links to statistics and other sites that cover the issue. Below you can find some posts that show what we have found in our research and our take on those findings. Enjoy...

THE ISSUE:
According to the “Small Arms Survey”, small arms and light weapons account for bringing civilian death tolls to near 90 percent of total deaths in each armed conflict worldwide.[i]
It's an alarming thing to think of when we all know full well the capability of small arms. One well placed bullet is enough to kill you yet we (the nation states capable of arms production) haven't slowed down a bit. This evident in the phrase that Nicholas Cage's character opens with in the beginning of the Film "Lord of War".
There are over 500 million fire arms in the worldwide circulation
That is one fire arm for every twelve people on the planet

It's a fact reiterated in the same "Small Arms Survey". The year in focus is 2001. That same year it is estimated that the world produced nearly
enough bullets to kill the world population twice over. It's no wonder that small arms violence occurs at the rate it does.


There are many factors that come into play when it come to finding solutions to the issue at hand. For one,
governments and societies do not like to change their ways unless it is absolutely necessary.
Mexico being known as "the murder capital of the world" compelled  Mexico to change. Since 2006,
when Mexican President Felipe Calderon declared war on the cartels, 28,000 people have died. 
By August 2010, 7,000 people had already died due to this violence. This is just one example of
small arms violence.  In Somalia the violence is still booming while world leaders struggle with a solution.
It's a vicious cycle for when one store closes another opens its doors. There will always be someone willing
to make a living by providing the small arms that take the lives of many.  
Waszink, Camilla. (January 2001) “Small Arms Survey”. WEB

Peterson, Barry. Aug 12 2010. "Juarez, Mexico- Murder Capital of the World." Web.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Viktor Bout: "Merchant of Death"

He is arguably the most notorious arms dealer in the world. Recently he plead not guilty to charges of terrorism. He remains firm on the idea that he used his cargo company to fly legal cargo into "conflict areas" but he is suspected of flying small arms and ammunition around the world.

Photo: DEA-AP, Published with "Getting to Bout", By John Barry, Nov, 2010, Web


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