Posted on 07/09/2009 1:08:17 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
GENEVA (AFP) Ballooning US demand and the handgun's surge in popularity drove up the global trade in small arms by more than a quarter between 2000 and 2006, a UN-backed study showed Thursday.
Those weapons in the hands of civilians, security forces or armed groups were behind the deaths of 450,000 people, said the authors of the Small Arms Survey 2009.
Pistols, revolvers, rifles and heavy machine guns accounted for 60 percent of deaths through intentional violence of any kind, including the use of bombs, knives or bare hands, whether in conflicts or crime, the experts said.
By 2006, the legal market for small arms and light weapons was worth 2.9 billion dollars (2.1 billion euros), a leap of more than 650 million dollars, said the survey, based on customs data collected by the UN from 53 countries.
Demand from the United States alone was responsible for 48 percent of the worldwide increase in imports, it found.
The real figure for the total global market was most likely to be above four billion dollars, once flawed controls and a lack of transparency in some countries were taken into account, according to the survey.
"Current data shows the global trade in small arms and light weapons is robust and even expanding, and that handguns are driving it," said survey programme director Keith Krause.
"We don't know whether these weapons are destined for civilians, police or military forces. But it is striking that handguns have outpaced all other small arms and light weapons over the period."
The United States was by far the biggest importer of pistols and revolvers, accounting for 54 percent or 173 million dollars of imports over the six year period.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Ballooning US demand.. hmmm.
Obama and the Left rising a driving factor?
United States Marks International Small Arms Destruction Day
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2009/july/125870.htm
Bureau of Public Affairs
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
July 9, 2009
The United States is pleased to join in observing International Small Arms Destruction Day, initiated by the United Nations in 2001, as part of the United States ongoing efforts to reduce armed violence and support the rule of law around the world.
Since 2001, the U.S. Department of States Bureau of Political-Military Affairs has invested over $110 million dollars to help destroy over 1.3 million small arms and 50,000 tons of ammunition and other conventional weapons around the world, plus over 30,000 at-risk man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) that might have posed a threat to global aviation when in the hands of terrorists or insurgents.
The United States takes this opportunity to call for all States to continue implementing relevant UN and regional instruments on the illicit trade in SA/LW such as, amongst others: the UN Program of Action on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects; The International Instrument on Tracing of SA/LW; and recommendations made by the UN Group of Governmental Experts to consider further steps to enhance international cooperation in preventing, combating and eradicating illicit brokering in small arms and light weapons.
To learn more about the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatements small arms/light weapons and other conventional weapons destruction efforts, and about its closely related humanitarian mine action programs, visit www.state.gov/t/pm/wra.
PRN: 2009/698
If there were no guns, there would be no murders is what the article is suggesting. I wonder what caliber Cain was packing when he slew Able?
I think he was packing a ‘Light Weapon’.
I buy my heavy machine guns at Costco.
I need more guns. I did not realize there were 450,000 murders on the loose.
...and it's none o' yer business.
LOL
Goliath used a personal weapon.
David used a RANGE weapon.
Do they have gun safes at Costco? hmmm.. maybe little ones..
Annnnnnd UN; Molon Labe baby.
a dozen posts and no UN helmet with a hole in it. :-}
I was too 'ticked' to post one. But since you mention it...
;-)
And this number will be often quoted by liberal wacktards and the number per year killed in the United States by criminals.
Love these spin misleading reports by anti-gunners.
Got it! Thanks!
you're welcome :-)
Abolish the United Nations.
Stupid Euro Weenies!
More Stupid U.N.
--
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE
Related threads:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2271342/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2271459/posts
Don't like it -- then stop acting like you're planning to infringe on our rights. What, we're just not supposed to notice?
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