Resubmission: Adjustment to arms policy (further edits re: genocide)

Proposer
Autumn-Leah
State

Accepted

Vote Score

2

Age

2479 days


@Autumn-Leah edited foreign_policy.md - almost 7 years ago

Arms Trading

Commit to ensuring that no British-built arms are sold to nations that are likely to use those arms against their own people, or to any other agent or third party that may do so.

Commit to ensuring that no arms built in the United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland and no arms owned by the state at any level of governance (within the U.K.o.B.N.I. system of governance of the day); are sold to nations that are likely to use those arms against their own people, or use those arms to commit something that could be considered genocide under The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide [^genocide], or to any other agent or third party that may do so.

[^genocide]: The text of The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CrimeOfGenocide.aspx

Nuclear Disarmament

Autumn-Leah

@Autumn-Leah - almost 7 years ago

Given our government reportedly is aiding genocide in Yemen, and is selling arms to Saudi Arabia, this is a very important policy to add.

Saudi committing genocide: https://www.rt.com/op-edge/380700-yemen-saudi-arabia-genocide/

UN report on how this is against international law: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=21163&LangID=E#sthash.zjA0dW1Q.dpuf

We're selling Saudi Arabia weapons: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/16/british-arms-sales-saudi-arabia-airstrikes-yemen-civilian-casualties

Oh Saudi once threatened us with terrorism, we're still selling them weapons: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/feb/15/bae.armstrade

Xyleneb

@Xyleneb - almost 7 years ago

I think that "and no arms owned (or formerly owned) by the state at any level of governance" is perhaps a worthy distinction, because it includes arms not only built here but imported to here.

The rest of it seems verbose or redundant to me. "The state" is already quantified prior as "U.K.o.B.N.I". The UN definition of genocide is unenforceably broad, and the way out is to simply deny it. The extent of "commit to ensuring" remains imprecise and non-committal, despite the aim being otherwise.

The basic ambition of the policy is good, but the reality is poor. I think with time it can be improved and redeemed.

Vote: ✅