A call for global disarmament?

A call for global disarmament?Examining the United Nations role in disarmament for global securityBy : Professor FlowersStrayer University6 April 2011Keywords: international relations, global peace, security, disarmament, arms control, United Nations, 1925 Geneva Protocol

Disarmament isThe reduction or limitation of the size, equipment, armament, etc., of the army, navy, or air force of a country, (Dictionary.com).

Four (4) Types of Disarmamentthe penal destruction or reduction of the armament of a country defeated in war Ex) Versailles Treaty [1919] where Germany and its allies disarmedbilateral disarmament agreements applying to specific geographic areas Ex) RushBagot Agreement [1817] where the naval forces of both the US and Great Britain disarmedthe complete abolition of all armaments, as advocated by utopian thinkers and some governments; the reduction and limitation of national armament by general international agreement.Ex) United Nations

(1) the penal destruction or reduction of the armament of a country defeated in war (the provision under the Versailles Treaty [1919] for the disarmament of Germany and its allies is an example of this conception of disarmament); (2) bilateral disarmament agreements applying to specific geographic areas (naval disarmament in this sense is represented by the RushBagot Agreement between the United States and Great Britain, which, since 1817, has kept the Great Lakes disarmed); (3) the complete abolition of all armaments, as advocated by utopian thinkers and occasionally by governments; and (4) the reduction and limitation of national armament by general international agreement through such international forums as the League of Nations, in the past, and the United Nations, in the present. This last is the most frequent current use of the term.

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STRATFOR REPORTSCurrent trends include an increase interest in disarmament for nations. Ex) Indonesia, Japan, and Australia holding disarmament meeting at UN General Assembly in New York, September 2010, according to STRATFOR.

Photo taken by Professor Flowers inside the Palais del Nations (United Nations) Geneva, Switzerland (August 2010)

Current TrendsCurrent trends include an increase interest in disarmament for nations.

For example, STRATFOR reports that Indonesia, Japan and a number of other countries will have a special world disarmament meeting on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York in September, according to Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, Xinhua reported Aug. 4.Natalegawa said Australia would join the efforts of Indonesia and Japan.

4What people are saying? Nuclear weapons cost!Despite a downward trend in conflict, in 2008, the worlds governments spent US $1,464 billion to arm themselves, amounting to $216 for each person alive today.

Melissa Gilles, Author of The Disarmament : A Basic Guide, 2009.

What people are saying?Nuclear weapons does not save lifeit destroys it.Nuclear weapons are not only the most indiscriminately inhumane weapons ever invented, but the only ones capable of destroying life on this planet as we know it.

Gareth Evans, a former foreign minister of Australia, University of Melbourne fellow, and co-chair of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, 2010.

6What people are saying?Learn from Hiroshima and NagasakiThe communication of the experiences of Hiroshima and Nagasaki appears to be facing a real problem. This needs to be addressed urgently because the hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) are aging rapidly, and when they die, they will take with them the only first-hand knowledge of the unspeakable horrors of nuclear destruction. We must consider new ways to teach children about war and the prospects for peace. In this article, the importance of nuclear disarmament education in a wider context of peace education is stressed and suggestions are offered to improve current nuclear disarmament education in Japan, and elsewhere..

Yumiko Nogami, Resident of Hiroshima, Japan, 2006.

The communication of the experiences of Hiroshima and Nagasaki appears to be facing a real problem. This needs to be addressed urgently because the hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) are aging rapidly, and when they die, they will take with them the only first-hand knowledge of the unspeakable horrors of nuclear destruction. We must consider new ways to teach children about war and the prospects for peace.And at the same time, we need to feel empowered to take a stand for peace and make a difference in our lives and in the world. In this article, the importance of nuclear disarmament education in a wider context of peace education is stressed and suggestions are offered to improve current nuclear disarmament education in Japan, and elsewhere..

Yumiko Nogami, Resident of Hiroshima, Japan, 2006.

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UNODAUnited Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) promotes the goal of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and the strengthening of the disarmament regimes in respect to other weapons of mass destruction, chemical and biological weapons..

Photo taken by Professor Flowers of the courtyard of the Palais del Nations (United Nations) Geneva, Switzerland (August 2010)

UN s role in disarmamentDisarmament document:The 1925 Geneva ProtocolProhibits the use of chemical and biological weapons in warfare.

Protocol was signed under the auspices of the League of Nations, held in Geneva, from May 4 June 17, 1925, and it entered into force on 8 February 1928.

Conference on Disarmament, 1979Established in 1979 Is the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum of the international communityResulted from the first Special Session on Disarmament of the United Nations General Assembly held in 1978.

The Conference on Disarmament (CD), established in 1979 as the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum of the international community, was a result of the first Special Session on Disarmament of the United Nations General Assembly held in 1978.

10Convention on Disarmament at the United Nations (Palais des Nations)Conventions are held worldwide, and often at the United Nations Headquarters.Salle du conseil, is a room where the disarmament discussions are held at the UN.

Salle_du_conseil, Palais des Nations, United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland where disarmament conventions are held

Conventions are held worldwide, and often at the UN HeadquartersSalle du conseil, is a room where the disarmament discussions are held. The ceiling has a painting of five titans representing the original nations that founded the UN, in order to work together to end war and achieve global peace through disarmament.

11Keeping up with Arms Control: Disarmament among NationsStockholm International Peace Institute maintains extensive records of the states which have signed and ratified arms control and disarmament agreements.

To view the Arms Control and Disarmament Documentary Survey, go to www.sipri.com.

Disarmament education resourcesPDF book: Disarmament: A Basic Guide by Melissa Gillis.Online educational resource: UN CyberSchoolBus. Graduate courses & degree: Masters programme in non proliferation studies at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS). More information at http://policy.miis.edu/international_security/index.html

UN provides disarmament education resources which includes presentations and publications for lifelong learners. See the PDF version of Disarmament: A Basic Guide by Melissa Gilles.Visit the UN CyberSchoolBus, for educational resource or teachers and students.Visit the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) at the Monterety Institute of International Studies, to apply to a Masters programme in non proliferation studies. Further information is available on their web site at http://policy.miis.edu/international_security/index.html

13SummaryDisarmament:reduction or limitation of the size, equipment, armament, etc., of the army, navy, or air force of a countryThe Geneva Protocol signed during the League of Nations convention from May 4-June 17, 1925Entered into force on February 8 1928.The UN has held disarmament conferences since 1979.The Conference on Disarmament (CD)Established in 1979 (by UN)is the single multilateral disarmament forum of the international communityThe UN provides Disarmament education for lifelong learners, teachers and students.A noted reference among disarmament education is Disarmament: A Basic Guide by Melissa Gilles.

Disarmament is the reduction or limitation of the size, equipment, armament, etc., of the army, navy, or air force of a countryThe Geneva Protocol was signed during the League of Nations convention from May 4-June 17, 1925Protocol entered into force on February 8 1928.The UN has held disarmament conferences since 1979.Established in 1979 by the UN, the Conference on Disarmament (CD) is the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum of the international communityThe UN provides Disarmament education for lifelong learners, teachers and students.A noted source is Disarmament: A Basic Guide by Melissa Gilles.

14Summary (cont.) Four (4) types of disarmamentthe penal destruction or reduction of the armament of a country defeated in warbilateral disarmament agreements applying to specific geographic areasthe complete abolition of all armaments, as advocated by utopian thinkers and occasionally by governmentsthe reduction and limitation of national armament by general international agreement through such international forums, presently used by the UN

Palais des Nations, United Nations

(1) the penal destruction or reduction of the armament of a country defeated in war; (2) bilateral disarmament agreements applying to specific geographic areas; (3) the complete abolition of all armaments, as advocated by utopian thinkers and occasionally by governments; and (4) the reduction and limitation of national armament by general international agreement through such international forums, presently used by the UN. (most frequent definition)

15Summary (cont.) Stockholm & UN Sept 2010 Disarmament ConventionStockholm International Peace Institute maintains extensive records of the states which have signed and ratified arms control and disarmament agreements. To review, see the Arms Control and Disarmament Documentary SurveyCurrent trends show that nations will continue to move towards disarmament. It has been reported that Indonesia and Japan are scheduled to have a disarmament convention at the UN General Assembly in New York onSeptember 2010.

Questions?Feel free to post your comments in the Ask the Professor section under Course Home, and I will gladly reply to your response.

ReferencesDisarmament. (2010). In Dictionary.com. Retrieved August 10, 2010, from Dictionary.com, an Ask.com Service: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/disarmamentDisarmament. (2010). In Encyclopdia Britannica. Retrieved August 10, 2010, from Encyclopdia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/165165/disarmamentEvans, G. (2010, August 10). Taking disarmament seriously . The Globe and Mail. Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/taking-disarmament-seriously/article1663233/Gillis, M. (2009, August). In Disarmament: A Basic Guide (Section 1). Retrieved from http://www.un.org/disarmament/HomePage/ODAPublications/AdhocPublications/PDF/guide.pdfNogami, Y. (2006). Nuclear disarmament education and the experiences of Hiroshima and Nagasaki [Abstract]. ISYP Journal on Science and World Affairs, 2(1), 9-18. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=Oi_gFIjZI4AC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=falseStockholm International Peace Research Institute. (2010). Arms Control and Disarmament Documentary Survey. Retrieved from http://www.sipri.org/research/disarmament/agreements/?searchterm=disarmamentSTRATFOR (2010, August 4). Indonesia, Japan: Disarmament Collaboration Sought . Retrieved from http://0-www.stratfor.com.library.regent.edu/memberships/168537/sitrep/20100804_indonesia_japan_collaboration_sought_disarmamentUnited Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs (2010). About Us. In UNODA. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/disarmament/HomePage/about_us/aboutus.shtml

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