Running guns: The global black market in small arms

More and more governments are speaking out in recent years against the illicit trade in guns and military-style light weapons, but the rhetorical interest in combating the global spread of these weapons is not always matched by a similar commitment to effective action. With this volume, we hope to advance understanding of the illicit arms trade-its meaning, methods, actors and impact-in a manner that will strengthen states' resolve and contribute to sound international policymaking in this area. A principal thesis of this study is that the popular and government understanding of the term 'illicit arms trade' must be broadened to include weapons transfers that imperil people's lives through breaches of international humanitarian law and/or human rights law. This expanded definition includes guns and grenades trafficked to abusive state forces as well as to insurgents. It also includes certain aspects of arms deal making that currently reside in a grey-for example, deals brokered in third countries in order to evade national laws and covert arms supply by governments. This volume focuses almost exclusively on the supply side of the black market. It does not attempt to address the important issue of the causes of demand-insecurity, injustice, poverty, hunger, opportunism, warlordism, etc. The absence os such a focus is not meant to imply that fundamental attention to these areas is not key. Rather, it is an acknowledgement that in many cases eradicating these root causes is even more difficult that diminishing the supply of the tolls of mass violence. The book is structured to focus on the any governments-principally in North America and West Europe-that have stated opposition to the 'illicit arms trade'. We hope the essays included here will further their efforts, and those of journalists, activist and civil society groups working to curb the illegal weapons traffic that sustains combat, crime and terror around the world.