Real_Weapons_of_Mass_Destruction

Paper 3 The Real Weapons of Mass Destruction What do you think of when you hear the phrase “weapons of mass destruction”' I bet a lot of thoughts fly through your head. Some of them might be nuclear weapons, huge missiles, Iran, and the War in Iraq. I bet that you don’t think about a .38 caliber pistol, a grenade, or an AK-47, but the fact is that small arms kill more people every day than nuclear weapons, missiles or bombs. Small arms are illegally trafficked to some of the most destitute places on the planet, mostly in Africa. These guns give people the means to kill themselves and others. The guns that are trafficked into Africa each day will brutally kill a mother and her helpless child, or it will be given to a little boy who was just forced to become a child solider. Illegally trafficked guns are one of the biggest threats that is facing Africa, and that has repercussions that affect everyone. Most of the weapons that enter Africa come in illegally without documentation. A lot of the guns can pass through security checkpoints through bribing the security guards. Getting guns into Africa is the hardest part, once they are inside the continent bribes can move the guns anywhere and everywhere. Most gun runners chose to either fly or ship their weapons to the continent. They almost always have fake passports, delivery documents, and other types of security papers. Some more advanced gun runners even own their own planes, airports, ports, and ships, this allows them to make the trafficking part a lot simpler. The gun runners are in business because they are good at what they do. They know the system and how to get around it, that is why they are never caught or charged with any type of crimes. Organized crime is a very big problem that is contributing to the amount of illegal weapons that are being trafficked into Africa every day. Many governments rely on organized crime to help push them into power, and this revolves around violence. Organized crime traffics most of the illegal weapons found in West Africa. In two years there were over 74 unreported deliveries of military equipment to various locations in West Africa. The United Nations can only assume that these planes were carrying illegal weapons. Organized crime often used to help overthrow certain governments in Africa and make them corrupt. (United Nations) Renting weapons. It seems a little odd doesn’t it' But in Africa, for those who can’t afford to purchase a weapon it is a great alternative, and it seems to get the job done. To rent an AK-47 for three days it will cost you thirty dollars plus the cost of bullets. Illegal gun dealers make a majority of their money through renting weapons, usually to those too poor to purchase a weapon, and it is actually quite popular. Just the idea of using a gun, killing someone, and then returning it so the process can be repeated is probably shocking to most Westerners, but it is common place in the most destitute areas of Africa. (Robinson) A majority of the illegal weapons that are in Africa are imported illegally from foreign countries, but some of the guns are made right there in Africa. Kumasi, which is located in Ghana, is a big site for manufacturing weapons of all sorts. Replicas of everything from assault rifles, hand guns, and AK-47’s are made in factories across big cities in Africa. Sometimes these weapons are stolen, sold, and moved across the continent just like illegally trafficked weapons. (TC McCaskie ) Illegal weapons are being used in violent crimes more often than ever before. Many illegal weapons in Nairobi, are being used in kidnappings, robberies, and assaults. A majority of these crimes are being committed by youth. Many youth are extremely poor and orphaned, so a way to earn money is to forcefully rob someone, or kidnap them and hold them for ransom. Many of these crimes that the youth are participating in involve illegal weapons. Sometimes the youth steal these weapons or they buy them off of dealers. Either way youth violence is directly related to the number of illegal weapons that are available on the streets of Africa. (Arms) In the world today, there are over six hundred and forty million guns, which is one gun for every ten people. Illegal gun trade is a billion dollar a year business. Most of the weapons that are a part of illegal trafficking started out being legally owned weapons, but were stolen or trafficked into other countries. In a sixteen month span, there were over six hundred thousand lives lost in the Democratic Republic of the Congo because of conflict and wars fueled by illegal weapons. These facts are staggering. They are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the damage that illegal weapons do to the world that we live in. So how do we control this problem, or has it reached epic proportions as to where we cannot contain it anymore' (IANSA) There are strict laws in place on what guns you can trade, when, and where, but there needs to be harsher punishment when a law is broken. Once an example is made out of a gun runner, it will serve as a warning to those who want to try and sneak past the system of laws. And at the security checkpoints at borders between two countries, ports, and airports there need to be UN guards in place to thoroughly check over each shipment of cargo. I realize that many gun runners often offer bribes to security personnel, but most of the time they are natives of that country and pretty poor, but if a UN security guard is present, someone who actually believes that the world will be better without guns, they will be less likely to take a bribe. We need better patrols around the border, not just a certain country’s government personnel. Most of the weapons that are trafficked illegally were once legal weapons. So an obvious solution to the problem would be to limit the number or guns that are being made currently and in the future. It is ridiculous to completely stop the manufacture of guns, you have to think about the jobs and that people need a way to protect themselves. However, limiting the sale of these guns and the distribution to certain areas or people could make an impact about who gets their hands on the guns that are available. Another idea would be to work directly with the civilians in the countries that are most affected by civil war and the traumatic damage that guns leave behind. Anyone could start a collection where civilians in war torn areas donate illegal or legal weapons in exchange for goods that they desperately need. If people are offered an alternative to weapons chances are they are going to take it. Nobody likes to see the effects of war or the damage that guns do to a family, so giving them an option to get rid of a weapon in exchange for a sack of flour or a goat is a great alternative. Involving the military in matters to control gun trafficking may sound good at first, but it is quite the contrary. With the military and gun runners there are two sides with strong weapons and strong beliefs and chances are they are not going to get along very well. I think that involving the military to try and control gun runners is a job that should be left up to the United Nations, who is non-violent and will try and seek a peaceful solution to the problem, as opposed to having more bloodshed.