Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons Trading
Instructions
Identify an emergent global theme, excluding terrorism, which poses as a global security issue.
Research at least five peer-reviewed articles from academic journals, government sources, or research institutions (e.g. Rand) to detail the global issue.
Write a 1,750- to 2,100-word paper illustrating a global emergent theme and its impact to national security.
Include the following:
- Describe the issue and its importance
- Explain the effects on geopolitics, social unrest, humanitarian response, proliferation, economics, and environmentalism
- Compare the global issue effects on global security and domestic security
- Explain international and domestic implications of the issue
- Provide recommendations for handling the issue
Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.
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Solution
Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons Trading
The international community continues to implement numerous strategies for the prevention and alleviation of global crime. Despite the efforts put in place, global criminal networks continue to threaten the safety of world’s citizens by impacting on global security significantly. Small arms trading remains one of the major issues of concern affecting global security. According to Chelule (2014), illicit small arms and light weapons (SALWs) affects all parts of the world but remains dominant in armed conflict, organized crime, and violence-afflicted areas. These areas offer a greater market for the SALWs, met with the illicit trading to avoid the laws and regulations governing the distribution, sale, and use of the weapons. The trafficking influences and promotes global and national insecurity by fueling wars and conflicts, social unrests, terrorism, gangs’ development, violent criminal activity, and proliferation. The implications of the illicit trafficking of SALWs extend to influence regional and global economics, geopolitics, the environment and human rights among other fundamental areas. This essay offers an extensive discussion of illicit trading of SALWs, impact on global and domestic security, geopolitics, social unrest, economics, conflicts, and other criminal activities, and offers recommendations for addressing the issue effectively.
The Impact of Small Arms and Light Weapons on National Security
SALWs trafficking influences global and national security significantly. The existence of legal and illegal commercial avenues for trading the arms and weapons creates a platform for trafficking. Reports show extensive illegal trading of light weapons and small arms in the recent past. As the leading manufacturer of the weapons and arms, the US faces a significant challenge in fighting the trade. The country records the highest production of arms and light weapons, and consequently, higher sale and distribution of SAs and LWs. Most of the conflict deaths recorded in the US are perpetrated using SALWs. Additionally, the trade has triggered the development of crime, gangs, violence, increase in homicides, shootings and other terrorist activities. As a result, the illicit trade impacts on national security significantly. Despite the impact, regulation and control of the trade pose a great challenge due to the legitimacy of their production following their importance in promoting law enforcement, military use, and their application in sports and recreation by the public. The Government must develop regulations that hinder misuse and alleviate illegal trading without infringing on the rights of the citizens to legitimate trade and use.
Light weapons and small arms are highly accessible and easier to transport, trade, and traffic, which makes the diversion from legitimate use and trade to illegal trading easy and convenient. Currently, small and light arms are used in resolving conflicts, and it has been determined that these conflicts are greatly influenced by the availability of the firearms. What this means is that individuals or groups have found a way to push for their political interests and agendas using small arms and light weapons because they are not only easily to use and carry around but also more compact for easier transportation and smuggling. As such, the availability of the weapons gives criminal groups and rebels the chance to use the weapons especially in times of political instability resulting in deaths of innocent citizens while pushing for their political agenda.
SALWs Promote Armed Violence and Social Unrest
Major armed conflicts have increased over the years in various countries due to the spread of small and light weapons. It is also interesting to note that as much as civilians may be considered to be the victims of the use of the weapons, they are involved in the use of the weapons. Unfortunately, it is difficult to outline the extent to which the civilian population is involved in the use as well as the spread of SALWs. This is the case because, in the past few years, there has been a considerable increase in the ease of accessing the weapons both legally as well as illegally and thus making it hard to track the owners as well as the user of the arms. For instance, one can easily walk into a gun store in the United States and purchase an AK-47 for just a few dollars. Also, the components of turning a semi-automatic rifle to a military grade automatic weapon can easily be purchased at spare part shops (Chelule, 2014).
As mentioned earlier, armed violence and social unrest are some of the challenges associated with access to small and light weapons. The increased access, as well as the use of such weapons, results to the high level of insecurity which is bound to make people move out of such place in search for better and safer dwelling areas. For instance, if a particular state is found to be unsafe to that extent, individuals are bound to more to other states. When that happens, investors are also likely to withdraw their investments thus impacting greatly on foreign direct investments and, consequently, the economy of the affected state (Wilson, 2015). When this happens to a country, then such a country will not be in a position to offer basic and necessary needs to its people which will only result to further social ills and the further development of crime.
Impact on Humanitarian Response
The use of the small and light weapons also greatly impact humanitarian response especially in areas experiencing major humanitarian crisis. The United Nations has identified the use of such weapons as one of the major stumbling blocks for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (Yihdego, 2007). Also, when disaster strikes, whether natural or human-made, people tend to need humanitarian assistance more than ever, and this becomes a great challenge if that particular place is well known for illegal small and light arms in the hands of the wrong people. Moreover, such weapons are also likely to be used for self-benefit by the gangs or individuals during such difficult time to scare aware volunteers leaving the injured at the mercy of their gangs and the criminals who have no element of concern on their well-being. This, therefore, makes the situation which is already bad move to worse.
The Impact of Illegal SALWs Trading on the Environment
The development of illegal SALWs trade around the world has impacted the environment significantly. The development of wars and conflicts results in destructions and other environmentally unsustainable acts. The destruction experienced in Syria and other countries following the Arab spring of 2011 caused a major impact on the environment. Additionally, the illegal arms contribute to the development of other practices such as poaching and destruction of forests. According to Regional Centre on Small Arms (2016), poaching has caused the extinction of various animal species and threatens the extinction of others such as elephants and rhinos. Moreover, wars cause the death of people and animals, and environmentally destructive behaviors. The civil war in the DRC resulted in the death of millions of individuals as well as animals. It provided an opportunity for organized criminal activity to thrive for the sale of gems and other resources. The mining activities of the warlords in the area resulted to encroachment into national parks and game reserves for exploitation (Chelule, 2014). The result is that the animals were left exposed to criminals mainly using small and light weapons.
Illegal SALWs Trading Facilitates Organized Crime
The use of SALWs has also greatly facilitated illegal trade both locally and internationally. For instance, drug traffickers and cartels have been able to further their illegal agenda and activities through violence with these weapons being the main instruments used. Also, most of the relief and humanitarian organizations are from the international setting, and as such, the use of such weapons put their employees at risk of being victims of the violence involving the use of small and light weapons. These risks make the humanitarian services very expensive to extend that the risks may outweigh the expected benefits making them turn down the offer. Also, a survey on the effect of guns violence on the development of humanitarian personnel reported that armed thugs or even civilians interrupted or even suspended humanitarian programs in the affected areas (Yihdego, 2007).
SALWs have influenced the development of gang violence, organized crime, and promoted insecurity on the national and international grid. In the US, for instance, the development of gangs and organized crime is highly attributed to the spread, easy access to illegal firearms, and weapons. Conflict gangs with access to the weapons is most likely to end up in violence, resulting in injury or death. Cases of gang violence and armed combats cause insecurity and inhibit safety considerably. Insecurity concerns affect life in communities affected by the issue and influence livelihood (Wilson, 2015). The situation is made even worse by the fact that most of the individuals handing the weapons may not have sufficient training on the use of the weapons or and as such end up causing more destruction that affects the ability of individuals to leave peacefully within the community.
The Impact of SALWs around the Globe
The effects of the spread and the use of small and light weapons are not only felt within a country’s borders but at the international platform as well. The fact that these weapons have become the weapon of choice to most individuals and groups poses a great risk to the security of nations and the world in general. Since these weapons can easily be accessed and transported to where they are needed, many of the rebels and warlords have been able to arm their soldiers to push their agenda against governments and other organizations. These are moves that result in war or violent engagement resulting in various social and health issues among the individuals living within the community. For instance, the civil war in DRC resulted in the destruction of property and infrastructure to an extent where only 45% of the population had access to clean water which makes the already bad situation even worse.
Economics and Geopolitics
Illegal SALWs trading influences national and global economics and geopolitics greatly. The trade affects international and cross-border relations. As the country strives to limit the trade, the development of stringent border regulations and rules is imminent. The strict laws limit immigration and interaction and integration of cross-border markets. Moreover, the trade promotes geopolitics by pushing countries to adopt and implement laws that work towards alleviating the crime. As countries come together to fight, there is enhanced national and international interaction. On the other hand, as a billion-dollar business, SALWs trading promotes business and national economies significantly. However, though illegal trading may contribute to the national and international economy, the negative impacts call for the implementation of effective strategies for curbing illicit trade of SALWs (Wilson, 2015).
Recommendations for Alleviating Illegal SALWs Trading and its Impacts
Various measures and recommendations can be taken into consideration to prevent as well as curb the spread and use of small and light weapons. First, it is important for the government to bring all the stakeholders on board to increase the effectiveness of the programs they put in place. For instance, the inclusion of NGOs and civil society groups is of critical importance in fighting smuggling of SALWs. Even though these groups are not involved in policy making, they are in most cases the ones that take the initiative to develop as well as implement the programs (Yihdego, 2007). As such, their involvement will see to it that the policy makers come up with more effective programs that are evidence based. The result is that the states, as well as the international community, will be able to realize positive outcomes on the fight against small illicit firearms.
Effective Implementation of Existing Laws
Secondly, the effective implementation of the existing national and international laws is important for enhancement of efficiency in fighting the diversion of SALWs. Efrat (2010) acknowledges the existence of several policies and treaties that if implemented well would address and prevent or alleviate the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons. Some policies are not only effective but also practical in combating illicit trade of SALWs. However, these policies suffer the major blow of ineffective implementation. For this reason, it is important to ensure that proper enforcement mechanisms are put in place to deal with the issue. This is a move that will see to it that each region or country is able to interpret and implement the regulation in the manner in which it was intended by the policymakers (Efrat, 2010). The result is that all the relevant bodies and organization will work towards a common goal which is to stop the spread of illicit small arms as a means of restoring order and sanity to the communities, nations and the world as a whole.
An Integrated Global Police Organization
Most importantly, the international
community should come together in fighting this criminal activity through the joint
force of international police organizations. These organizations have effective
platforms that allow cooperation and coordination between law enforcement
agencies in different countries, which will promote the fight against
cross-border/transnational crime. A joint force is important for greater monitoring,
identifying, arresting, and bringing illicit traders to justice. The organizations
have efficient databases for sharing intelligence on global criminal activity,
which will make it possible for enhanced proficiency in eliminating or reducing
illicit trading of SALWs. Bringing the different international police
organization will create a more efficient force that will guarantee success in
the process. Additionally, the joint force can forge relationships and
partnerships with public and private entities for funding and implementation.
References
Chelule, D. (2014). Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons: Challenge to Development, Peace and Security in Africa. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 19(5), 80-87. http://dx.doi.org/10.9790/0837-19558087
Efrat, A. (2010). Toward Internationally Regulated Goods: Controlling the Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons. International Organization, 64(01), 97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0020818309990257
Regional Centre on Small Arms. (2016). The Nexus between Poaching and Proliferation of Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons Regional Report Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Regional Centre on Small Arms – Cooperating to Disarm, 1-18.
Wilson, B. (2015). The Long – and Unfinished Road – to Globally Regulating Small Arms and Light Weapons. SSRN Electronic Journal. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2025681
Yihdego, Z. (2007). The role of Security Council arms embargoes in stemming destabilizing transfers of small arms and light weapons (SALW): recent developments and challenges. Netherlands International Law Review, 54(01), 115. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0165070x07001155
