Captain of a Ship of Fools on a Cruel Sea: How European Union Leadership May Sink the Proposed Arms Trade Treaty

The past century experienced a marked increase in armed conflict from Europe to the farthest parts of Southeastern Asia. At the heart of modern conflict is a particular class of weaponry—small arms and light weapons. Commentators have noted that small arms and light weapons have become widely used by groups involved in conflict; particularly, groups utilizing asymmetric warfare tactics. For example, small arms and light weapons were utilized in the more than fifty inter-state, intra-state, and insurgent conflicts over the past fifteen years. Notably, 90% of deaths in modern conflicts are attributable to the use of small arms and light weapons. As a consequence of wide utilization, these weapons have destabilized governments and strained economic infrastructure. Moreover, the negative effects also include governmental instability, catastrophic healthcare consequences, and environmental degradation. However, it is imperative to recognize that the current global proliferation of small arms and light weapons did not directly ignite the abovementioned conflict and spur the negative effects, but instead simply acted as a fuel source for the conflict. Commentators estimated there are approximately