This Week at ISN

3 - 7 September 2012 The global arms trade is a multi-billion dollar industry that continues to have a profound impact on transnational security. This week we consider the current nature of the trade, its specific impact on modern day conflicts, and attempts to establish a viable Arms Trade Treaty.

The Global Arms Trades Impact upon Security

The Arms Trade by Numbers
03 Sep 2012

The global arms trade continues to flourish, in part because it enables emerging powers to expand their defense-industrial base. To better understand the dynamics of this trade, we identify in this multimedia feature some of the suppliers and buyers involved, and the distribution routes they use. More Prosecuting Illicit Arms Brokers: Improving the European Record
04 Sep 2012

Although there have been several high-profile prosecutions of illicit arms brokers in recent years, the majority of these cases have taken place in the United States. By examining the controls currently in place to regulate arms brokering, SIPRIs Mark Bromley considers why action in Europe has been more limited. More Arms Transfers and Armed Conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa
05 Sep 2012

Most states in sub-Saharan Africa rely on the legitimate and illegitimate transfer of arms and conventional weapons to supply their needs. Together with our partners at SIPRI, here we explore whether these transfers lead to or exacerbate conflicts in the region. More Supplying Arms The Syrian Case
06 Sep 2012

Despite increasing fears that the Assad regime might use chemical weapons, the conflict in Syria has thus far been fought with conventional ones, most of which have been supplied by Russia. While an arms embargo would not stop the fighting, SIPRI's Pieter Wezeman argues in this podcast that it would send a strong political signal to Assad and his backers. More The UN Conference on an Arms Trade Treaty: No TreatyYet?
07 Sep 2012

Recent attempts by the United Nations General Assembly to develop a global arms trade treaty stalled when the United States, among others, asked for further negotiations. Despite this setback, Paul Holtom identifies three options UN member states might pursue to implement a viable treaty. More

Security Watch
After Fukushima: Looking Back to Move Forward
03 Sep 2012

Two independent reports on the Fukushima nuclear disaster agree that the Tokyo Electric Power Company should bear considerable responsibility for the accident. More worrying, argues Christopher Hobson, is that the Japanese power industry has learned few lessons from this disaster. More The Jihadist Element in Syria and Its Implications
04 Sep 2012

The number of Jihadists fighting to bring down the Assad regime is growing in terms of numbers and significance. One reason for this involvement is that the political unrest in Syria is close to a number of holy sites deemed by al Qaida to be under the control of the 'near enemy'. More Missile Defense Spending Is Going to Stagnate
05 Sep 2012

Data on missile defense spending is often hard to come by, says Benjamin Loehrke. He predicts, however, that American expenditures will remain volatile over the next few years and not grow with inflation. This will present additional problems for other Pentagon procurement programs and military operations. More Vying for Power in the High North
06 Sep 2012

The pool of nations scrambling to control the Arctic's natural resources and ice-free shipping routes may soon grow. Jody Ray Bennett considers what impact emerging powers such as China might have not only on Arctic security, but also on how the international system will resolve future territorial disputes in the High North. More China's Self-Absorbed Nationalism - It's Worse than It Looks
07 Sep 2012

To many foreign observers, the Chinese people's belief that their government should be more aggressive in its territorial disputes reflects a pugnacious form of nationalism that Beijing has deliberately cultivated since the end of the Cold War. Such pugnacity, Robert Sutter argues, bodes ill for the future. More

ISN Blog
Eye of the Storm for US-Pakistan Relations
03 Sep 2012

Pakistans recent decision to reopen NATO supply routes into Afghanistan hints at improved relations with the US. However, Islamabads unsettled domestic politics and the continued security challenges posed by North Waziristan may lead to renewed trouble between the two countries in 2013, argues Daniel Markey. More Calming Colombia and Nicaragua's Murky Waters
04 Sep 2012

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is set to rule on a dispute between Nicaragua and Colombia over the control of several islands in the Caribbean Sea. Robert Valencia argues that this case, whatever its final outcome, should serve as a model for the resolution of similar disputes in the future. More Human Rights of North Korean Defectors in Dire Straits
05 Sep 2012

Chinese authorities have recently been accused of detaining and even torturing South Korean activists who attempt to help defectors from North Korea. Their treatment reflects growing tensions between Seoul and Beijing over how these defectors should be treated once they cross into Chinese territory, writes Cheong Ju Kim. More The New Information Superhighway: Practical Methods for Sharing Knowledge and Stemming Destabilizing Arms Flows
06 Sep 2012

Clandestine arms transfers to conflict zones are difficult to monitor and even harder to prevent. Rather than establish new mechanisms to address such challenges, argues Hugh Griffiths, international actors should make better use of the ones already in place. More Drones in Our World, Part IV: Adapting a Warfighter
07 Sep 2012

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly being used to support humanitarian and disaster relief activities. This adds substance to arguments that the information collected and conveyed by UAVs is 'inherently neutral', says Whitney Grespin. More

Videos
SIPRI's Paul Holtom Highlights New Data on Arms Transfers SIPRI Programme Director Paul Holtom discusses new data on international arms transfers. He gives an

overview and examines the reasons why some of the top ranking countries are building up their arms industries. More Attacks on Diplomats in Venezuela Following a spate of violent attacks on diplomatic staff in Caracas, STRATFOR's Fred Burton asks whether Venezuela is still able to offer protection to foreign diplomats. More Arms Trade Treaty Implementation Webinar Roy Isbister, Saferworld's Small Arms and Transfer Controls Team leader, discusses what should be in a robust implementation regime for a global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). More

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